Harry Potter and the Deatheater’s Daughter
by Arcadia-of-the-East
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts for his fifth year and is met by a new student. (part 1 of the Gretchen Saga)
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I don't own most of these characters, they belong to J.K.Roweling. I do own:Gretchen and her mother Winetta, Herriet Elestor, Dr. Parkmen, and the plot line.   
A/N~This could never ever happen! Ever! It's set in the fifth year (or it is the fifth year), and I don't think it's even a possibility of what could happen. But, if you like it, r/r because I love hearing from you! Enjoy!  
  


Harry Potter and the Deatheater's Daughter  


  
Part One: School Starts  
Harry stayed with the Dursleys all summer, which he didn't mind. He was stillfeeling guilty of Cedric's death, and wasn't in the mood to talk about it with Ron. He didn't run into his friends when he when to Diagon Ally to get his things, which surprised him. So when he arrived at Kings Cross and boarded the Hogwarts Express he was delighted to see them. "Hello Harry! Over Here!" Hermione shouted as soon as he arrived  
at station nine and three-quarters.   
"Hey Hermione, Hey Ron, I missed you," he said, rushing over towards them.  
"You too Harry," Ron said. "But we'd better get moving or we'll miss the train as well." The three friends boarded their usual compartment, but found it was already occupied by a short girl they had never seen before.  
"Excuse me," Ron said to her. "This is a cart for fifth years only."  
"I-I know," she said nervously, "I'm transferring into Hogwarts this year. My name is Gretchen."  
"I'm Ron," said Harry's red-haired friend, "This is Harry and Hermione."  
"Harry Potter?"  
"Yep," Harry responded.  
"I thought so," she said quietly before going back to reading her book. Harry looked at her. She was quite pretty. She had long light brown hair which she wore in a braid, fair, pale skin, and dark brown-almost black-eyes. Harry smiled at her, though she didn't notice, and the three went to sit down at the other side of the compartment.  
"She seems nice," Hermione commented. Ron said something under his breath that Harry couldn't here and Hermione stormed off to sit my Gretchen.  
"Women," Ron muttered. It was just then that Draco Malfoy walked in.  
"Well, if it isn't Pot-head, Weasel and Mud-blood. Oh, I see you've found a new loser." He looked over at Gretchen, who looked back at him and his eyes widen. Gretchen practically jumped out of her chair. "YOU!" they shouted at the same time, their voices filled with obvious disgust. Malfoy grinned evilly. "Well, well, Gretchen, long time no see. Tell me, what color walls did they give you in that loony-bin. Or did  
they even trust you enough to give you a room were the walls weren't made of carpet?"  
"White, actually. And tell me, Draco, how is your father? Still as low as dirt?"  
"You're one to talk, Gretchen, you're a Deatheater's daughter."  
"As if being a death eater's daughter is any different from being a death eater's son, Draco," Gretchen said coldly, showing a confidence Harry hadn't thought possible of her.  
"My father was under the Imperious Curse, like so meny other Death Eaters, your mother wasn't and you know it." Gretchen laughed.  
"There wasn't a single Death Eater under the Imperious Curse. You know that, and I know that. My mother was a Death Eater, yes I admit it. Now she's in Azkaban were she belongs, we're all better for it."  
"Is that what the good doctor told you," Malfoy said in a voice reserved for very little children. Gretchen just rolled her eyes.  
"Actually the nice doctor told me I was insane, but I sure proved him wrong now didn't I? They still don't know how I got away...but that doesn't matter. It's been proven that I'm as sane as any of you, and maybe even more so,"-she gestured to Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle-, "in my opinion. Now, if I were you I'd be leaving right now. I can tell that you three have a mutual dislike, and I'm afraid you're out numbered." She smiled slyly and took her wand from her robe. Harry, Ron, and Hermione did the same. Malfoy looked into her eyes with more hatred then Harry had ever seen in a person.....except for Voldemort. Then the three turned around and left.   
Ron turned to Gretchen and blinked. His face was such an expression half-way between amazement and fear. "Nice work with Malfoy....a Death Eater's Daughter?!?!"  
Gretchen sighed. "I was rather hoping you wouldn't find out that way," she said softly. "My mother was a death eater, though I don't remember much about that time in my life. When I was four she was caught performing Dark Arts and I spilled the beans on her little secret. The whole stories quite interesting, but I'm afraid I'm not fond of telling  
it, so you'll just have to take may word on the fact that she's getting what she deserves. Any way, the court decided that I needed to be rehabilitated after so much exposure to the Dark Arts and sent me to the phycatric Ward at Mungon's. I've been living there since I was four, and this is actually the first year they've let me free. Now, if you wouldn't  
mind, I would like you to keep that quiet. No doubt Draco will spill the beans eventually, but until then, it would be best if we kept this our little secret. After all, Professor Dumbledore's telling everyone else I'm from Weltsmead, the school in Italy, and just transferred here as my parent's were transferred because of their job."  
"How will he explain the fact that you don't have an accent?" Hermione asked after a few moments of silence.  
"Oh, well, I lived in England till I was ten, you see, and then my parents were transferred to Italy, were I've been living for the past four years. I'll make sure to switch between languages unexpectedly for a month or so till I'm 'adjusted' to this country again," she said smoothly, confidence in her voice. Harry didn't expect that to last long, as she was already starting to sound as she first did when he met her a few minuets ago.  
"What did you mean when you said something about getting away?" Ron asked.   
Gretchen smiled again. "Well, there's an old rule at Mungon's saying something like, if the percent is sane enough to escape that you need to reevaluate their case or something and see if there's truly any need to hold them. I managed to escape for almost three months when I was twelve. I've spent the last two years in a program designed to  
prepare me for life outside closed doors. Personally I would have liked it if they had let me start coming here third year, and Professor Dumbledore agreed, but my doctor said no, so I had to wait."  
"I'm sure your father was mad at him," Ron said absent mindedly. The smile  
slipped off of Gretchen's face and was replaced by the sullen look Harry had seen upon meeting her.  
"It's a good book," she muttered as she began to read.   
"What did I say?" Ron whispered as they went back to their seats. Ron, Harry, and Hermione talked quietly throughout the trip to Hogwarts, but it was obvious that they all felt a bit guilty about upsetting Gretchen. "I still don't get it?" Ron said at last, "Why did she go bizerk when I mentioned her father?"  
"Well, think, Ron!" Hermione said, "For all you knew he could have been a death eater, too! Killed or in Azkaban! Or, her mother could have killed, or maybe she has no idea who he is," she said. Her voice got softer all of the sudden. "Or maybe he reacted like you did before she explained, Ron, and all he could think was that his daughter's mother was a death eater, and she was some sort of bad blood. Maybe he just doesn't  
care about her." Gretchen looked up at Hermione for a moment, though only Harry could see because of the Poisson he was sitting in. She mouthed the words, You're Wrong, and went back to her book. Harry was very curious about her.  
At last they arrived at Hogwarts and boarded the carriages pulled by invisible horses. Hermione wanted to invite Gretchen to sit with them, but she had mysteriously disappeared, so Neville sat with them instead. Harry couldn't find Gretchen when they entered the great hall. It was not until after the sorting when Dumbledore rose to give his speech, that Harry saw her again. "Welcome," Dumbledore said, "To another year. I only  
wish we could meat under happier circumstances. Meny of you may have heard, or not heard, that Voldemort,"-everyone jumped-, " has regained his body." Dumbledore sighed. "For all of you who are just joining us and don't know who Voldemort is, I shall tell you. Voldemort is a very powerful dark wizard who had the entire wizard population living in terror for meny years. Fourteen years ago, Voldemort was defeated for some  
unknown reason and disappeared. last year, however, he found a way to regain his body. We don't know where he is, but we're sure he's headed this way. He has meny enemies here." Dumbledore eyed Harry and sighed, so softly you could barely notice if you noticed at all, to himself acknollaging that he was an enemy as well. "It is for that reason  
that students are not to leave the castle after dark and all Hogesmede visits are canceled. I do apologize, but it's for your own safety. There are four piticular students who are in the most danger. They know who they are, or will shortly be informed, and will not be  
allowed to leave without accompaniment of a teacher."  
Dumbledore smiled. "On an up note, we have a new student who is not entering her first year, but her fifth. I would like to introduce Gretchen Locus, transferring from Weltsmede at her parent's request. She was sorted earlier and will be joining the Gryffindor table." The table erupted in cheers and Gretchen sat down at the opposite side of the table, far away from Harry. "I would also like to introduce our new Defense  
Against Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Herriet Elestor." More applause.  
Gretchen became very popular for the day. Everyone in Gryffindor,  
Ravenclaw, an Huffelpuff believed her story about living in Italy for four years, but the Slytherins knew the truth. Harry didn't think about it much though. It wasn't his problem. She had been avoiding him any way.  
Classes started the next day. Harry's first lesson was Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Professor Sprout took them to the green house. "Please put on your gloves," she instructed. She went to a small ugly-looking plant that was growing in a flower pot and picked it up. It had small black leaves that looked rather wilted, and midnight-blue stem that was slumping over, and small red dots, the color of dried blood, all over it.  
"This is calle Hebetious, also known as the gamble plant. They're usually found in hot areas. They're called the gambling plant because of their previous use in the medical field. During wars when a pacient was isolated from any medical help, they would be given a single leaf from this plant. When taken, there was a fifty percent chance you'd be healed completely, and a fifty percent chance you would die on the spot. Because of  
modern developments in medicine, we are now able to make the plant into a pain-killing potion. I'm going to pass this pot around. MAKE SURE THIS PLANT NEVER TOUCHES YOUR SKIN! While you wouldn't die unless you ate anything, there is a chance you would faint or worse, SO BE CAREFUL!"  
So the pot was passed from person to person. Neville Longbottem, being clumsy, accidentally brushed the leaves with his elbow, but it didn't hurt him. In fact, a scab that had been there instantly disappeared and was replaced by healthy skin. Five points were taken from Gryffindor just the same, but though that didn't seem to matter in perceptive of what could have happened.  
The lesson seemed short and before Harry knew it, they were out of Herbology and had the next period free, and started heading for the Gryffindor Common room when Professor McGonagall found them. "Ah, just the three I was looking for. Come with me, we need to see Dumbledore. I assume you know why. The forth student is already  
waiting." The expression in her voice made it clear that there was no room to argue. The three quickly followed the Professor, who whispered the password to the Dragon statue guarding Dumbledore's office, and walked in. Professor Dumbledore and the forth student were waiting for them.  
"Gretchen?" Hermione half-shouted. "Why are you in danger?" Dumbledore gazed at Gretchen, just as Harry did. She was peering down towards the floor as if she was ashamed.  
"Please sit down," Dumbledore said. Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat quickly and looked at the headmaster. "Now, you three are each in considerable danger for Voldemort's attacks, and you each know why. Harry, we're pretty sure he'll come after you all things considered. Ron, Hermione, I don't think that Voldemort realizes you exist, but being Harry's two best friends, you are in danger as well." He turned to Gretchen.  
"I have a feeling you don't wish to discuss your situation, but you are in danger just the same," he said.  
"I wouldn't worry," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "If he attacks me it probably won't be the same way as anyone else." Dumbledore nodded.  
"I am well aware of that, but becareful just the same and come directly to me if...," he voice trailed of. "Well, you four are not allowed to leave the castle without the a professor. Harry, don't worry about Quiddich. The house leaders are seeing to those for every house, because we are rather worried about Voldemort. I know you three are very good friends of Hagrid, and there for you will be allowed to visit him twice a week  
during this free period and the one on Thursday. Do you understand?" Everyone nodded.  
"Good. Now, Gretchen, could you wait outside the door with Professor McGonagall? I'd like a word with you privately, but first I need to talk to these three." She nodded and walked out of the room. Dumbledore turned to the three of them. There was a few moments of silence.  
"What is it professor?" Ron asked at last.  
"I know that you are probably very curios as to why Gretchen's here....."  
"No we're not," Ron interrupted. Harry and Hermione both shot him angry glances, but he didn't seem to notice. "She's the daughter of a death eater. Malfoy told us and then Gretchen explain on the train." Dumbledore smiled.  
"Well, it seems you understand." But Harry could see he was lying, but his eyes lacked something, and Harry could almost here his say, you have no idea what you're talking about. Dumbledore seemed to notice that Harry knew. "Ron, Hermione, if you would please wait outside with Gretchen, I'd like to speak with Harry privately." They got up and let. Dumbledore looked at Harry.  
"How have you been?" he asked. "Last year was truly traumatic, and I do hope you're doing all right."  
"I suppose so," Harry said casually. "I've been having some weird dreams, but I expect that's normal considering.....any way, I'm fine."  
Dumbledore smiled. "I'm happy to hear that. Hopefully, another incidentally like that will never happen again, but as you can see, that's not very likely." Dumbledore frowned. "Harry, I want you to be extra careful this year. I've asked our new Defense Against Dark Arts Teacher to give you and Gretchen extra lessons, considering you two are in the most danger."  
"Why is she in danger any way? I can tell that there's more to it then she told us."  
Dumbledore smiled again. "You are very observant, Harry, but I can not make dessions for her. To betray her trust would cause her to lose her confidence in this school as she has in most other things. Much like you, Harry, she's had a rough life for a girl so young, but she hasn't had friends to make it easier for her. Now, when she trusts you and she is ready, I'm sure she'll tell you exactly why Voldemort would attack her, but until then, I suggest that you simply let it be. Now, if you could step outside, I need to have a word with her." Harry nodded and left the room as Gretchen walked back in.  
"Come now," Professor McGonagall said, "You three should head back to your common room."  
"But shouldn't we wait for......,"  
"No, Mr. Weasly, we shouldn't. Now, get going." The door that led to the hall way opened. Harry and his friends walked out as did Professor McGonagall.  
"What did Dumbledore want to say to you?" Ron asked as soon as the Transfiguration teacher was out of sight.  
"Nothing much. He just asked how my summer went and if I was feeling all right after what happened last year," Harry said. He decided to leave the part about Gretchen out, seeing as he really did want to have to tell them he was under orders to leave her alone. "He also said I was going to be having extra Defense Against Dark Arts lesson because I'm in the most danger."  
"I wonder what he wanted with Gretchen," said Hermione. "I tried to ask her about it while we were waiting for you, but she kept insisting it was nothing important."  
"Oh, he just probably wanted to tell her about the extra lessons. She's having them, too," Harry explained. "Dumbledore told me she's really worried about those kinds of things, though, so it would be best not to talk to her about it."  
"All right," said Ron, but his ears were pink and Harry had a feeling that he was lying. Harry shot Ron a dirty look, but Ron didn't see.  
"Well, come on know," said Hermione. "I don't want to be late for Charms!" And the three walked off towards Professor Flintwick's class. A question was nagging at the back of Harry's mind. _Why is Gretchen in danger any way?  
_


	2. Chapter Two

Part Two: The Picture Behind the Painting  
  
Things began to feel normal after Dumbledore's talk. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were as inseparable as ever. Gretchen and Neville got along amazingly, and it almost seemed as if they had already know each other. Gretchen also got along well with Hermione because, as it turned out, she was a library nerd, too. "But a cute one," Ron said. Ron liked Gretchen. There was no doubt about it. He walked with her in the hall every chance he got and sat by her during Transfiguration even though he had always sat by Harry in the previous years. And to make things worse Gretchen was always avoiding Harry and making excuses not to talk to him when they were together. It just didn't seem fair. All of his friends go along with her perfectly, but she didn't like him at all.  
It will all pass, Harry thought, it's just because she's new. But by Friday Harry was becoming annoyed with her. He was in a bad mood during breakfast, and to make a bad day worse, today as the first day of Defense Against Dark Arts and Potions and Divination. He would have some new teacher that he didn't know, a teacher who hated him, and a teacher that told him he was going to die every two seconds. Harry secretly hoped that some one had told her to stop doing that. After what had happened with Cedric last year, it seemed very likely that he could.....Harry didn't want to think about it that early in the morning.  
"Well, come on, I don't want to be late on the first day with a new teacher," Hermione said as soon as they were done with breakfast. The three best friends hurried from the Gryffindor table as Hermione dragged them to the class room.  
"Ah, welcome," Professor Elestor said as they entered the room. Harry eyed her. She was a tall, slender, women with large brown eyes, long gray hair, and large, bony fingers. "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts,'-she eyes Gretchen coldly-, "This year we will continue were you left off with curses, and cover a few creatures I hope, though curses will be our main concern because of the situation with you-know-who. Now, I know that last year you learned about the three unforgivable curses, this year we will be concentrating on those used in duels and other such things. When a witch or wizard attacks, the object is not all ways to kill. Now, open your books to page 231...." The lesson continued like that for the rest of the period.  
Harry was bored out of his mind by the end of the lesson. He was almost excited to be going to potions.....then his mind returned to him. Potions. It was taught by Professor Snape, Harry's least favorite teacher, though Professor Elestor was giving him a run for his money. Harry was Snape's least favorite student, and Harry could only imagine how mad he must be now that Harry knew his most incriminating secret. Professor Snape was a former death eater, but only her Ron and Hermione knew that, and of course Dumbledore. In Harry's mind, however, they were about equal, because Snape knew that Harry had helped Sirius, a convicted-innocent-murderer. With that thought something suddenly occurred to Harry. He hadn't heard from Sirius since his birthday.  
With that thought gleaming in his mind, Harry found it hard to concentrate on Potions or get mad when Snape picked on him.....but then he noticed that Snape wasn't picking on him. He wasn't picking on anyone, though he occasionally shot a Gryffindor with a dirty look. "Potter, Weasly, Granger, Locus I want to see you after class," Snape said suddenly. So much for a decent potions lesson, Harry thought Grimly, but he knew better then to go against Snape's word, who already had it in for Gryffindor any way.  
The bell rang but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gretchen made no move to leave their seats. Snape looked them all coldly in the eye. "I need your word that your secret will not leave these walls. Not one student here knows that I was a death eater, not even the children of former death eaters. I need to know that you will not reveal my secret."  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked at each other in shock. It seemed like the perfect way to get revenge on Snape.....Gretchen shrugged. She was about to say something when her face began to lose it's color and a worry line formed on her forehead. She spoke quickly in a rushed voice, as if she needed to run away from something. "Mother always did suspect you were on the opposite side of the battle." With that she grabbed her books and left very quickly.  
Hermione looked at her bewildered, then said, "Well, if Dumbledore trusts you I do, too." She quickly hurried after Gretchen.  
"Umm.......," Harry managed. "Well, I see no reason to scare any one." Ron's face went red.  
"Harry!" he yelled, but Harry said nothing. Ron rolled his eyes, still angry. "You are so lucky I didn't mention this to Fred and George over the summer." With that Harry and Ron left as well and headed to lunch.   
The two boys sat by Hermione as soon as they walked in. "Where did Gretchen go?" Ron asked as soon as he sat down.  
"How should I know?" Hermione asked, annoyed. "I'm not her baby sister. By the time I left the class room she was gone. The only thing in the hall was some one's cat."  
"Gee, Hermione it was just a question," Ron said defensively. "I wonder..."  
"Well, it doesn't really matter," Harry interjected, "She has a life of her own you  
know." Ron nodded and took a bite of his pudding.  
"You're suppose to save desert for last," Hermione said.  
"Relax, Hermione. I'm not braking any sort of rule," Ron said. Hermione shot  
him a dirty look and took a bite of her sandwich, muttering something about Ron being  
improper. Harry rolled his eyes. Was improper even a word? Of was it unproper? Did he  
hear wrong? Maybe he should ask Hermione about the spelling......  
"Letters," Harry said suddenly. "I have to go." He quickly finished his meal and  
headed towards the hall. He had to find Dumbledore. He had to ask about Sirius,  
considering his birthday was at the end of July and it was now September.  
"What are you doing here?" said a cold voice. It was Professor Elestor. She peered down at him coldly.  
"I was..er....looking for Professor Dumbledore," Harry said. He didn't like the was she was looking at him. It was quiet unnerving.  
"And why would he have business seeing you, Mr. Potter? I do hope fame hasn't corrupted you that much," she said.  
"It hasn't but...err......," Harry stopped. She would never understand if he told her about Sirius. How could he possibly......  
"Well, Mr. Potter, seeking out the Headmaster, who is very busy I might add, is a very serious offense. Let's see...how meny points from Gryffindor?..."  
"Wait, Professor Elestor, he was going to come with me," said a voice suddenly. Gretchen emerged from the shadows to Harry's left. "I needed to speak to Dumbledore concerning a personal matter, on which I'm not allowed to talk about, and I was a bit nervous. Harry was kind enough to volunteer to come with me. We were just going."  
"I didn't see you walking together?" Professor Elestor said coldly.  
"I asked him to meet me here." The Professor nodded hesitantly and then sped away from the two students.  
"Thanks," Harry said.  
"Yeah, whatever. Well, if we're going to see Dumbledore let's go," she said. She started off and Harry quickly went after her.  
"You're really going to see him?" Harry questioned. Gretchen nodded. Harry decided not to question her about it, remembering what Dumbledore had said about letting her be. They arrived at the statue that hid the stair case that lead to the man's office. Gretchen whisper something to the statue and it moved letting Harry and Gretchen through. "He told you his pass word?"  
"Just for today," Gretchen said. "My Doctor is waiting for me. We'll just have a short chat and I'll be on my way." Harry nodded.  
"Do you know who Sirius Black is?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.  
"Yes, he was a good man," Gretchen said softly, before she had a chance to stop herself. She lowered her head in shame, though Harry had no idea why.  
"I agree," he said. "He didn't kill any one, you know." At this Gretchen raised her head and smiled, shaking her head. Before she had a chance to tell him anything they walked through an open door and into the circular office that belonged to the Hogwarts Headmaster.  
"Ah, there you are Gretchen, and I see you've brought a friend as well," said a short round man with balding yellow hair, big fluffy eyebrows (Harry thought they resembled caterpillars), and a large smile. "Have you been doing well?"  
"Yes, I'm fine Dr. Parkmen," she said calmly.  
"Well, Professor Dumbledore tells me that you've been doing well this week. I hate to cut this meeting short, but I was hoping to have an extra long chat with Yolanda. I think that there's a good chance that she'll be able to get out when she's around twenty-five if she keeps on improving at this rate."  
"Give her my best," Gretchen said. "Maybe I could visit her over winter holidays? And the others?"  
The round man frowned. "We'll see." With that he smiled, patted her on the head, and quickly left.  
"So Harry, what brings you here?"  
"Well.....," Harry eyed Gretchen wished she would leave, but she didn't. She lowered her head shamefully and spoke very softly.  
"I know he's innocent, Harry, if that's what you were going to talk about. My mother was a death eater, she knew what happened."  
"So you know about Pettigrew? And Sirius Black? And my parents and everything?" She smiled softly.  
"I told people once when I was four or five," she said, "They thought I said it all because I was nutters. But I think you know it's the truth." Harry looked at Gretchen for a moment and then turned to Dumbledore.  
"He hasn't written me in two months and I've been getting worried. Have you heard from him?" Dumbledore just shock his head, saying no.  
"I'll write Remus and check up on him. He's bound to know something. Mean while, Sirius can take care of himself. Please, don't get too up set, Harry." Harry nodded  
and turned to face Gretchen.  
"Hey, where'd she go?" Harry asked.  
"I didn't see her leave," Dumbledore said in a tone that sounded for amused then puzzled. "Oh, well. She is a rather odd girl. Now, you should be going, Harry. I wouldn't want you to be late for anything." Harry nodded and quickly left the office. He tried to find Gretchen in the hall, but all he saw was someone's cat sitting on the floor washing it's leg, next to it was Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. It was the strangest looking cat Harry had ever seen. It had a short, black coat with a silver stripe going from it's ears all the way to the tip of it's tail. It also had silver markings at the bottom of it's hind legs, almost like boots, and a star-like mark on it's left hip. Harry would have loved to study it, but he rushed off instead. Like Dumbledore had said, he didn't want to be late.  
"Welcome back," Professor Trewaleny said as soon as class started. "This will be  
an exciting year for you. First we will be studding meditation, then prophetic dreams-."  
"All right we'll get to sleep in class," Ron whispered.  
"And then finally we will begin the study of changing the future based on what we have learned. Sadly, my students, this is the last year you will be spending in my class. I will be giving you next years options the lesson after your O.W.L.s are threw. There are meny interesting classes you can take next year. So chose wisely. Now, please take your copy of _Unfogging the Future_ and open to page 157. Please read up to page 159. We will not be doing any meditating this lesson, but I do expect a report on the different ways to meditate that is at least two pieces of parchment long, you may want to make it three pages dear,"-she pointed to Neville-, "it will help when you loss point for  
having trouble with actual meditation later."  
Harry and Ron took out their books and started reading. Ron seemed to be doing all right, but Harry couldn't concentrate. He was still worried about Sirius, and he was excited about seeing Hagrid.  
Ron and Harry met Hermione by the stairs after class. "So, how was ancient  
Runes?" Ron asked as they waited for Hagrid to come and escort them to his hut.  
"Fascinating. Simply fascinating. My partner and I got the highest points of the  
lesson. We took the pre-test for Egyptian Runes in teams. Gretchen and I scored one  
hundred and eight percent," Hermione reported.   
"Gretchen's in your class?" Ron said. "So, Harry, mind if I drop Divination?"  
"Of course not," Harry said sarcastically. "I didn't think you liked her that much."  
"Well, Harry, I do. And you don't need act surprised about it just because you don't like her," said Ron. Harry just shrugged.  
"She's not as bad as I though she was," he said. "In fact, she's really nice, just kinda shy. I don't know why she's been avoiding me, though. We get along just fine."  
Ron looked at Harry and raised his eye brows. "And I thought I liked her."  
"I don't like her like her. I just think she's a nice person. Don't worry, Ron, I'm not your competition. But I think Justin is,' Harry said, thinking of the Huffelpuff boy who he could see walking with Gretchen out of the corner of his eye. Gretchen waved to Hermione and she waved back, then the two were gone.  
"Where's Hagrid," she said. "Don't you think he should be here by now?"   
"I suppose, so," Harry said. "Maybe he's getting tomorrow's lesson ready. Or maybe the third years he's teaching re having a late lesson."   
"I hope not," said Ron as he pointed to the sky. "It's about ta rain."  
"There he is," said Hermione, pointing to a large figure approaching. He was holding a large pink umbrella over his head, which Harry knew contained his wand. They had snapped it when Hagrid was expelled in his third year. Dumbledore managed to get Hagrid trained as game keeper at Hogwarts. A few years ago when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, Hagrid's name had been cleared, and the following year he became the Care of Magical Creatures professor. He had almost resigned the previous year when it was discovered that he was half-giant, but after locking himself in his hut for a week he got over it and now was as good as ever.  
"'Ellos Harry. Hermione. Ron. It's good ter see ya," he said as he made is way onto the steps. "Let's hurry and get ter me home before this storm starts." Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran up to him and they made their way to his hut. "Tea?" he asked as soon as they arrived.  
"Yes, please," Hermione said as soon as they got in. Hagrid grabbed three tea ups and one cup the size of a bucket for himself and poured the tea.  
"How yer been?" he asked.  
"Good," said Harry. "Schools been going well. Even potions turned out to be okey." Ron nodded in agreement.   
"Yes," said Hermione, "and there's a new girl in our classes this year, Gretchen. She's really nice." Hermione eyed Ron, about to say something, then though better of it. "Oh, Hagrid, I wanted to ask you if it's true that we're having a Halloween dance this year?"  
Hagrid smiled. "Who told yer 'bout dat?"  
"Oh, they told us in Ancient Runes today. My Professor's chaperoning. I can't wait! I was wondering if you could take us to the owlery. I want to invite Victor."  
Hagrid chuckled. "I'll take ya tomorrow Hermione." The rest of the visit was cheery. It made Harry feel really great, seeing Hagrid again, that he stopped worrying about Sirius, and he forgot that his first extra Defense Against Dark Arts lesson was after dinner that night. Luckily, Gretchen reminded him, and they made their way towards the class room. Harry wasn't looking forward to it. Professor Elestor didn't like him or Gretchen. She had made that clear in the hall way earlier that day.  
The practice turned out to be even more horrible then Harry had thought it would be. Professor Elestor had started the lesson with seventh year materiel. Harry and Gretchen were doing horribly. That made Professor Elestor angry and she assigned both of them to a five page report.   
Gretchen was allowed to leave first, Professor Elestor wanted to have a word with Harry after the lesson. "Yes Professor Elestor?" Harry said after Gretchen was out of  
sight.  
"Don't get involved with types like her, boy. She's bad blood. I know she's already told you her true story, but that doesn't change anything. She's bad blood. Now, go. Hurry to your common room." Harry chose not to respond, but simply left as fast as he could. He thought that Professor Elestor was crazy.   
"It's a pretty painting isn't it?" Harry heard Gretchen say. She was looking at a painting in the next hall. Harry walked over to she what she was talking about.  
"It's a muggle painting," he said suddenly as he gazed at the still painting over the silver unicorn. Gretchen nodded.  
"My mother told me that she and her friends use to hide things behind it. I wonder.....," Gretchen lifted up the frame and an old, gray book came fall out. She picked it up and looked threw it. "Ah, a photo album. And one of a very skill photographer." She showed Harry the book. "You see how all the picture are black and white? And still?" Harry nodded. "That's because whoever took these was skilled enough to capture the heart of the moment, and freeze it time long enough to have a sample of that moment forever. Very beautiful. Would you like to look at it?"  
"Sure," Harry said. Gretchen handed him the book.  
"Would you mind keeping it for the night? You have your bag of books with you and I don't, so it would look weird for me to be carrying it around."  
"Sure," Harry repeated as he turned the pages. "Do you know who these people are?"  
"Nope. I think they're friends of my mother. She always told me that her friend Sue was a good photographer. Well, we'd better get going." Harry put the photo album in his bag and they walked to the Common room. It was surprisingly late. Hermione and Ron were already in bed (or so Fred and Gorge said). Harry headed up stairs, too.  
After a few hours of tossing and turning, Harry found that he couldn't sleep. He thought about waking Ron, but that would be rude. So, remembering the Photo album he and Gretchen had found, he decided to look at the pictures. He pulled it out and began to look threw it. On page three he founds something he never expected  
  
A/N: I'll try to finish part three by next week end. Enjoy  
Disclaimed: I don't own any thing but the plot and the new characters. For a more complete disclaimer see part 1


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Well, this is turning out to be longer then I wanted it to be. Oh, well. I just can't wait till I get part 4 posted. It's the best yet.  
  


Part Three: The Halloween Dance  


  
Harry was hidden safely under his invisibility cloak as he crept up the stairs to the girls dormitories. _Just wait until the morning comes_, the sensible little voice in the back of his mind, which sounded strangely like Hermione, said. But there was another louder voice that insisted that he keep on going. _You need to know now,_ it said, sounding oddly like a worried Sirius Black. _Sirius Black?_ his own voice wondered. On top of all that  
there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. _Something's not right._  
Finally Harry reached a door labeled "5th Year" and opened it. Harry could see Parvite, Lavender, and Hermione all sleeping. Then, towards the right side of the room he saw Gretchen's bed. He quietly walked over to it and pulled the curtains back. He took off his cloak, as not to frighten her. How would you feel if you were awaken by and invisible man? "Gretchen," he said quietly. To Harry's surprise she woke up instantly. _She must be  
a light sleeper_, he thought.  
"What are you doing here?" she whispered.  
"I need to talk to you. Meet me in the common room," Harry said quietly. He slipped on his cloak and crept down the stairs, then waited for her in an arm chair by the fire. A few minuets later she rushed down.  
"What is it?" she asked in a slightly worried tone.  
"I was looking through the photo album," Harry said softly. "I saw a picture of my parents while they were still dating and I just had to ask. Did you know?"  
Gretchen said nothing for a moment. "I was wondering if they'd be there. I know my parents did graduate the same year yours did, but that's it."  
"Oh," Harry managed. "How do you know so much?" Gretchen shrugged. She turned around and started heading for the girls dormitories but that stopped and turned to face Harry.  
"Do you ever get the feeling something's wrong?" she asked him. Harry couldn't say anything. "I thought so," she said softly. "I'm sorry I was avoiding you so much earlier. I've never really met someone who....I know this is strange.....someone who could  
probably understand me, assuming I told you everything."  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
"I don't know. I.....," she stopped. "It's almost like were the same sometimes, like we see the world the same way. No, of course we don't. I suppose I'm just paranoid, but that's no surprise. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Harry shock his head. "All right then. I'm going back to bed. We have Herbology again tomorrow, and astronomy, and charms. Those aren't really anything that I'm good at. So I should go."  
"What are you good at," Harry said absent-minded.   
"Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense Against Dark Arts. Well, Ill be seeing you, Harry." She quietly left the room. Harry stayed still for several minuets, thinking about almost nothing. Then he grabbed his cloak and hurried off to bed, drifting into a dreamless sleep.  
Gretchen said nothing about the photo album the next day. Harry didn't remind her about it, either. It started to become a nightly routine of his. He would look through the book every night before he went to bed. He never seemed to get pasted third page, though. Not until Ron found it sitting on his bed and, fascinated by the fact that the pictures weren't in a museum somewhere ("Those things are so rare!"), decided to look  
threw it while Harry peered over his shoulder.   
After the fifth page the photos became normal, or at least wizard normal. They moved in blinked and walked about. Harry noticed that every time he turned a page the photos of his parents an dtheir friends became younger. Ron turned page six. "Wow,  
she looks like Gretchen," Ron muttered.  
"Yeah, with blue eyes and short hair. What does the paragraph underneath say?" Harry said. Ron began to read aloud.  
"'This page is dedicated to our dear friend Winetta Locus, who was once a Gryffindor, but has now changed so completely that when she was resorted after her O.W.L.s (as we all were), she was placed in Slytherin. She will be missed, and we hope  
she returns to be the person she was before. Until that happens, however, we do hope that when she a Snape (the slime-ball) brake up, she is in as much distress as Sirius was when  
she dumped him. Signed, Lily, Maryane, Stella, James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter.'" Ron finished and put the book down. "So that's Gretchen's mum?"  
"I suppose," Harry muttered. Ron shrugged.  
"She doesn't look evil," Ron commented.  
"Looks can be deceiving. After all, Tom Riddle looked like a perfectly normal boy, and look who he turned out to be." Ron gulped. "Besides," Harry muttered, "You should never judge a book by its cover, or at least that's what Hermione says."  
"I suppose. Do you reckon Gretchen knows what this says about her mum?"  
"Gretchen seems to know everything, but Ill give this to her later just in case. I have to go. Tonight's the first Quiddich practice," Harry explained. He got up and left the dorm, while Ron continued to admire the book.   
"'Ello Harry," Fred and George Weasly said as he raced onto the field. Harry was the sixth on to arrive. The only person they needed was.......Harry sighed. Oliver Wood had  
graduated. They would need a new Keeper. Harry also realized that it was the last year for all the other members of the team, too. Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, and Alecia were all in their seventh year. That meant Harry would be the only remaining member of the first Gryffindor team he had ever been on.  
"Well, its good to see you all here," said Professor McGonagall who walked up to the team.  
"What are we going to do, professor?" Alicia asked softly.  
"Professor, we haven't found a replacement Keeper yet," Katie explained.   
"Yes, I know," the Professor said grimly, "but we will find one soon. Does anyone have any suggestions concerning the matter?"  
"Well," Harry said bluntly, "Dennis Creevey is always catching things, but that's usually because he just knocked it over......."  
"Nope, he just won't do. How about that third year, Iris Indigo," suggest Fred.  
"Yes...," said Harry. "Yes, She'd make a very good Keeper. Speaking of replacing a keeper, we need to replace a captain." Everyone eyed one another nervously. There was silence.  
  
"Wow, Harry, that's amazin," Ron commented. "Quiddich Captain."  
"I really didn't want to be captain," Harry muttered. "Everyone agreed but me. They said I should be captain now so I have practice when the rookies come next year."  
"Still, Harry, it's an honor," Ron said.  
"I know," replied Harry. "I'll be right back." Harry stood up and walked over to the table where Gretchen was sitting, put the old photo album down on it and walked back over by Ron, where they continued to talk about Quiddich till Harry said he was tired and went to bed, but not to sleep. When the first hour of the next day had passed, Harry quickly jumped off his bed and walked into the common room. Gretchen was already there.  
"What is it, Harry," she asked suddenly.  
"I wanted to talk to you about yer mum, if you don't mind," Harry said. Gretchen was silent for a long moment, and Harry silently feared that he had lost her friendship forever.  
"These words never leave these walls," she muttered. "Ask anything you'd like, and I'll answer what I please."  
"All right," Harry said, "did you know that she was friends with my parents at Hogwarts?"  
"I suspected, but I didn't know," Gretchen answered in a no nonsense tone.   
"I'm sorry, Gretchen, I just wanted to know," Harry commented. "I don't know much about my parents so, it's just...good to know."  
"Harry.....," Gretchen broke off. "I don't know much about your parents either. And what I do know you don't want to here."  
"Yes I do," Harry said quickly. Gretchen sighed.  
"Very well. All I know is what my mother told me. She tended to complain about what low lives they were, and how even though everyone praised them as great wizards, they seemed to get nothing at all accomplished. She hated them, Harry, you must understand that," Gretchen explained. "I'll try, but....."  
"Try what?" Harry asked.  
"I haven't been feeling well, Harry. I'm going to bed." With that, Gretchen left him alone in the common room. Harry himself went to bed shortly, and quickly fell asleep, Gretchen's odd words slipping from his head, not to be remembered in a long time.   
Time began to fly again, as it always seemed to at Hogwarts. Days became weeks, weeks became months. Soon, it was October, only a few days before the dance. Hermione was going with Victor, who had recently flown in, Gretchen was going with  
Justin, a hufflepuff, must to the dismay of a dateless Ron. Harry, had managed to get a date with Hannah Abbot, Justin's friend. She hadn't been able to get a date, and was very excited when Justin set them up.  
On the day of the dance, Harry dressed in his black robes with the green belt and Ron in her new navy blue robes with a red belt (that matched his hair surprisingly well).Hermione was warring her pink robes, but Gretchen was no where to be seen. The feast  
was started by the headboy and headgirl walking in together (for they were dating) and waltzing together. After that, the other students danced as well.  
Unlike with Parvati, Harry couldn't get out of dancing with Hannah, which he didn't like for she kept stepping on his feet. The worst of it happened when she stopped dancing all together and shouted "Hi Justin" as the hufflepuff boy and Gretchen entered the room.  
When he saw her, all Harry could think was that she looked beautiful. She was warring like green robes with a darker green belt that matches his. Her hair hung down in perfect ways and her eyes were animated in a way Harry had never seen them before. She smiled at him for a moment, then she and Justin began to dance.  
It wasn't long after that when Harry, Hannah, Hermione, Victor, Justin, Gretchen, Ron, and Susan Bones (a hufflepuff) sat down and began to eat. "It's so exciting," Susan said as she Hannah and Justin began to chat about something. Hermione and Victor soon left to dance. "Err...Justin," Gretchen said after a moment.  
"Huh?" he said as he stopped talking.  
"Would you mind if I danced with Ron and Harry for a bit?"  
"Sure, go ahead," Justin said, as he went back to his conversation. Gretchen grabbed Ron's hand and they danced for a song. Ron was blushing like mad the entire time, Harry had never seen his ears go so red. Then, finally, the dance was done and Gretchen came to the table and grabbed Harry's hand. Before he knew it they were off.  
Dancing with Gretchen was the easiest thing Harry had ever done in his life. She must have been the best dancer in the world. It seemed that they didn't even needed to say anything, but knew exactly where the other one wanted to turn or where their feet  
were so that no feet were stepped on. Instead of dancing in the usual circle, Harry and Gretchen danced all across the room, much to the envy of some other students. None of Harry's friends noticed.  
It hit like a blow when the music stopped. All the movement ended and Harry was devastated as his ears pounded with stillness. The people around them chattered and the band on stage started saying something about the next song, but Harry didn't notice, he was looking at Gretchen. She seemed disappointed, too. "Do you want to just go," Harry said suddenly. "No one would notice."  
"What about my date?" she said.  
"He's with mine." No more words needed to be said. Harry grabbed Gretchen's hand and led her off the dance floor and into the hall. They didn't really know where they were going, so they just wandered a bit and found themselves back in the Gryffindor  
common room, alone. Aside from Hermione, Harry had never been alone with a girl before. It was easier then he thought, or maybe it was just Gretchen.   
They began talking about everything from Quiddich to Potions to that silly door on the third floor. Harry was feeling wonderful, it was as if there was nothing in the world that could go wrong, and then of course, it did.   
Gretchen's face paled very suddenly. Her bottom lip quivered and sweat began sweeping down her face. "Are you all right," Harry asked.  
"Harry can you keep a secret, even from Ron and Hermione," she asked. "I could," Harry said.   
"Then I'll tell you tomorrow. Let's get back to the dance. If anybody asks, I started feeling ill so you walked me back here. When I felt a bit better we came back down. Come on Harry, let's go." With that she grabbed his hand and led him down the spiral stair case and back to the main hall. Gretchen refused to say two words to Harry the rest of the night. He didn't know whether to be worried or angry. Gretchen was a nice person, but she sure knew how to drive a man crazy.  
Harry continued about his day normally, except for the fact that Gretchen still refused to speak to him. Now, he was just upset, not angry. He knew he had done nothing to deserve this, but she shunned him away just the same. It wasn't until the end of Charms, the class that had before lunch that she even looked at him. She walked over to him, grabbed him lightly on the elbow and whispered, "This way." Harry followed her until there wasn't a single student in sight.  
"What is it," Harry asked.  
"Harry, I think the deatheaters have escaped from Azkaban."  
"What? Gretchen, how could you come up with something as silly as that." The sigh just sighed.  
"It's called a blood bind, used between two members of a family," said Gretchen, her eyes pointed at the floor in shame, her voice now beginning to tremble. "It's not my fault that my mum was the way she was, always paranoid that I'd tell her secret to someone. It really isn't my fault. She did the Blood bind on us, Harry. She did it so that she could yell at me when I was away from her, threaten me into being a good girl. She was quiet in Azkaban, because they made her crazy, but she whispered to me last night, Harry. She's getting stronger." Harry didn't know what to say.  
"What should I do, Harry?"  
"Well, well," said a new voice, "isn't it just the cutest couple."  
"Draco," Gretchen hissed.  
"It's it sweet? Pot-head and Loser. I couldn't have thought of something so repulsing myself." With that Malfoy was off.   
"He's going to tell everyone," Harry muttered. "Ron has the biggest crush on you! He'd just kill me!"  
"Oh, relax, I'll have a good and persuading lie to tell Ron by the end of the day," Gretchen said. "I'll tell him in needed your help with.....something."  
"Right," Harry said doubtfully. "Now what?"  
"I don't know. That's why I asked you here in the first place," Gretchen said. "Last time I told someone I heard me mum I ended up in a white room for eleven years."  
"What do I look like? So wise guy like Dumbledore?" Harry shouted.  
Gretchen smiled. "Harry, you're a genius. I could kiss you right now.  
Dumbledore will know what to do. But how do I get into his office?" Harry said nothing.   
"Oh, that won't be a problem." Gretchen jumped. She and Harry both whirled around to find Dumbledore already behind him. "I've been watching you sense last night. Really, Gretchen, no one ever gets that pale from one dance. Now, I suspected you knew something, but I didn't dare think you knew something that important. I just got an owl from the ministry this morning myself. I'll announce it to the school at evening meal but what to do until then........."  
Dumbledore started pacing and stroking his beard. "Ah! Even I am amazed by my own brilliance. Come now, to my office. We must hurry." With that he started off towards the statue that his the secret stairs, leading to a door with a griffin handle. Once you stepped threw that door, there you were. Dumbledore's office. He quickly ushered them in and closed the door behind them.  
Dumbledore had no smile and Harry and Gretchen sat down. He eyed the two as if suddenly realizing exactly what was going to happen, and dreding it. "I'm afraid I must ask you to become the tow most responsible students this school has ever known." Harry and Gretchen eyed eachother, clearly clueless. "Does a Blood bind work both ways Gretchen?"  
"No," she said, "Not exactly. I may be able to..err.....skimm the thoughts at the top of her mind if I'm lucky, but I can't talk to her."  
"Exactly as I thought. Your mother was always very good with specifics, but alas there is always one flaw in the perfect plan. I'll need you to do that every morning and write down what you can tell me, then go into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and ask her to guard it." Dumbledore paused and gazed at her. "I don't ant to have to ask you to dot his Gretchen, but if it can help stop Voldemort....."  
"I understand." Gretchen shifted nervously in her chair. "But things will happen. She'll get stronger and then mad at me and I'll be scared all the time. Then everyone will notice and I'll be forced to tellt he truth." Dumbledore smiled sadly.  
"Did you really expect this new life to last forever?" Gretchen sank into her chair. Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, Ron and Hermione are to be left out of all of this. It will only make things worse if they find out. They are both very brave, but unlike those of us in this room, the call him 'you-know-who'. If they found out they would panic." Harry nodded. "Now, I've just sent letters to all the parents informing them that children with be sent home tomorrow. It will be a one week vacation. I have a special project I will need you two for. You'll be forced to conveniently miss the train. Now, you'd better get to lunch. I'll talk to you this evening." With that, they left.  
to be continued..................  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine


	4. Chapter Four

An: I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while and that this is kinda short, but it's vital to the story. The next part will be much better. I don't know what Professors FLintwick or Sprout's first names are so they get to be Robin and Flora. Any way enjoy   
Disclaimer: Me? Own this? Nope, not at all.**  
Part Four: Voldemort's First Attack**   
  
Between classes Harry had almost no time to talk to Ron and Hermione, so when  
evening meal finilly arrived, he couldn't be happier. "Harry, Harry," Ron called as he sat  
down. "It's not true. It's not! Is it?"  
"Are you talking about Malfoy and his dumb claim that me and Gretchen were  
making out today? Because if that's it, you should know better. I would never do that to  
you, Ron," Harry scolded.  
"I now. It's just well.....I think she likes you," Ron admitted. Harry shurgged.  
Then, as if only to prove Ron wrong, Gretchen walke din hand in hand with Justin. He  
kissed her on the cheak, and then hurried off to the Huffelpuff table, while Gretvhen  
headed towards the Gryffindors.  
"When did you start going out with Justin?" Hermione asked.   
"He asked me out when we met in the hall on the way to the libary," Gretchen  
explained as she smiled radiently. "He's so nice to me."  
"Huffelpuffs ussually are," Harry commented. Even though he felt sorry for Ron,  
he couldn't help but be glad for Gretchen.  
"Right.....," Ron added softly, pain seeping into his voice. Harry had felt that way  
once, too, with Cho. He hoped Ron would be alright.  
Harry suddenly realized that he wasn't the only one who had heard Ron.  
Hermione was looking at him, almost shocked, while Gretchen was looking at him, he  
cheaks burning red and embaressment in her eyes. "Oh, Ron....I....," she managed before  
she got up and left the table heading for the girls bathroom. Hermione went after her.  
Five miniuts later she came back, refusing to tell Ron or Harry what they talked about.  
She didn't come back, not even to eat. Everything was quite for the rest of the meal. Ron  
looked rather stunned with himself, not knowing wether her running off was a good thing  
or a bad thing ("What if she likes me but she thought I didn't like her?"), and Hermione,  
who was forever rambeling about one thing or another, decided it was best to stare at her  
plate and nibbel on her food. Harry thought that she probebly felt a bit guilty for some  
reason, and wonder what Gretchen had told her.  
All of the sudden, the middle of dinner, Dumbeldore stood up, stroked his silvery  
beard, and the hall fell silent. "There is something, you must know," he said seriously.  
Harry alreasy knew what he was going to say, but he pretended not to, for Ron and  
HErmione's sake. "Last night, while we were all at the Halloween party, or, in some  
cases, at the dance, a terrible crime occured. Voldemort broke into Azkaban. His most  
faithful servents have rejioned him once more. It is for this reason that you are all-with a  
feew exceptions-going home tomorrow." Dumbeldore waved his hand and a very small  
peice of parchment appeared in front of him. "Adam Artser, Hellie Anderson, Fran  
Dranson, Iris Indago, Gretchen Locus, Bert Mongulous, Harry Potter, and Mogana Zelk  
are staying here, you all know why, so please to not bother packing tonight. The  
Gryffiindor Quiddich practice has not been canceled and nither has the first Quddich  
game. I'm afreid I will not be able to see you off tomorrow so I'd like to take this time to  
bid you all a farwell and I shall see you all nexyt week." With that Dumbeldore bowed  
and hurried out of the hall. No one spoke.  
After dinner Ron suddenly decided that divination was the most fasinating subject  
in the world and started his homwork. Hermione went straight to the girl's dormitories  
and Harry grabbed his firebolt and hurried to Quiddich practice. The first game of the  
season, Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw, was only three weeks away.  
Harry was extrodinarily relieved that he had practice. He wasn't in much of a  
mood to think. By the time practice was over, most people were in bed, exactly were he  
intended to go, but he didn't. Gretchen, Ron, and Hermione were in the Gryffindor  
Commen Room, waiting. Waiting for him. "Dumbeldore wants to see us," Ron  
whispered.  
Harry nodded and the two quickly left the commen room. "Did he tell you his  
pass word?" Harry asked.  
"No, Professor Elestor is going to let us in," he explained, "We're to meet her by  
the gargolye."  
"What do you suppose he wants?" Harry asked.  
"I don't know," Ron said, "I just hope that whatever it is that it helps me pass  
potions!"  
"You can't be doing that bad," Hermione told her.  
"I'm not doing that bad, just bad." Ron and Hermione started arguing. Harry took  
that oppertunity to start walking behind them, next to Gretchen. "I thought it was just us,"  
he whispered.  
"Me, too," Gretchen said, "But I guess not. Then agien, he didn't read their  
named off at dinner. I really don't know what's happening."   
Harry nodded. "He's a funny man Dumbeldore." Gretchen nodded and then  
gestured to Professor Elestor, who hated Gretchen, standing ten feet in front of them.  
"Finilly," she said iritably as she gave the password (moonbeam) to the gargoyle.  
The five walked up the curving stair case to the circuiler office, which Harry was seeing  
more and more off. Four professors, McGonagall, Sprout, Flintwick, and Snape, were  
already there. Dumbeldore smiled.  
"Good evening," he said, addressing Professor Elestor.  
"It is headmaster," she replied dryly. "I take it my package arrived?" Dumbeldore  
smiled.   
"It most certenly did Herriet. Severus, could you hand the white box over there to  
Herriet?" Snape nodded, picked up the box and handed it to the professor, giving her a  
dirty look alongthe way. Harry wondered why. They had so much in commen, like hating  
Harry. "Well, thank you for joining us."  
"The pleasures mine," the professor said, but didn't mean, as she turned around  
and left the office.  
"Really that woman.....," Professor Sprout started before she was met with  
Dumbeldore's silencing hand.  
"She was the only one willing to take the job this year," he said quietly. "We shall  
respect her for that." He tured his attention to the four students. "Ah, it is getting rather  
crowded in here," he said cheerfully as he waved his wand, making four more chairs  
appear. "It's a tight fit, but it will do." He smiled at them. "Now, what were you saying,  
Robin?"  
Professor Flintwich eyed the four students. "I was just saying it may not be wise  
to trust some one so blindly. Espiecally......" His voice trailed off.   
"Robin, I assure you, I am trusting no one blindly. Now, do you think you could  
preform that Charm?"  
"Yes," the small man replied, "I could."  
"Great. Perhaps you should get started. Severus, you go, too. And you too, Flora.  
We must do this as soon as the students leave," Dumbeldore instructed. The three nodded  
and rose from their chairs, quickly leaving the room. Dumbeldore waved his wand and  
three of the chairs disappeared. "Ah, that's better."  
"Albus......," Professor McGonagall said quietly. The old man nodded. "Gretchen,  
you wouldn't by any chance know anything about Sirius Black?"  
Gretchen pretended to look puzzeled, as if she thought this an odd question, but  
Harry saw a look of amusement in her eyes. "Well, I know he was in Azkaban. Mother  
would always use him as an example whenever she thought I was being unfaithful. 'See  
what happens to the one who doesn't serve the dark lord?' That's what she would say,  
though I doubt that's what happened. Why?"  
Dumbeldore spoke, more to Harry and the others then to Gretchen. "No one's  
seen Sirius in quite a while. We're sending a seach party out for him. A serch party of  
three."  
"Two....," Professor McGonagall interjected.  
"Three, Minerva. I know that you're reluctent to take Gretchen along, but it's the  
saftest way."  
"Harry Potter I might be able to slip under Voldemort's nose, but Gretche Locus?  
Albus if what the girl claims is true......"  
"What Grtechen had told us is true. She's givin me the prof herself. Voldemort  
won't go near her....not at least for a few months," Dumbeldore said. "You are safer with  
her then without her, Minerva. Trust me. Now," he said turning to Ron and Hermione, "I  
have things for you, too. Ron, give this letter to your father, don't open it. Hermione, tell  
your partents t hide this behind their kitchen sink. It's a protection charm." He handed  
her a shamrock shaped item. "Now, all of you should get to bed. I need a word with  
Minerva." The four nodded and hurried out of the room.  
"Why won't Voldemort go near you?" Ron asked Gretchen.  
"Because he won't," she said.  
"But why not?" Hermione pleaded. Gretchen said nothing for the rest of the walk  
or when they got to the commen room.   
"What do you suppose it is?" Ron asked as they got into the commen room. "You  
think it's something like what you had?"  
"No," Harry said quickly. "Voldemort couldn't touch me because I was marked  
with love. I doubt Gretchen's family ever did anything like that for her."  
"Oh," said Ron. They went to bed. Harry didn't dream that night. He was too  
worried. He wanted to wake up Gretchen and talk to her for some reason. I've never  
really met someone who....I know this is strange.....someone who could probably  
understand me, assuming I told you everything, she had said earlier. Did he understand  
her? Was that why he wanted to wake her up in the middle of the night and talk to her?  
And why, why, was he thinking about Gretchen in the first place?  
"Are you talking about Malfoy and his dumb claim that me and Gretchen were  
making out today? Because if that's it, you should know better. I would never do that to  
you, Ron," Harry scolded.  
"I now. It's just well.....I think she likes you......"  
I think she like you. Or did Harry like her? He had remembered how it felt to like  
Cho. How his stomach was filled with butterflies everytime he saw her, how he imagined  
what it would be like to hold her in his arms.....But Gretchen? He felt quite normal  
around her, and sometimes annoyed when she was being mysterious, and he had never  
though about stuff like that with her.  
No, Harry didn't like Gretchen. He was just curious, as they all were. He didn't  
like Gretchen.   
The next morning Harry bid farewell to his friends at the train station. Then he  
quickly hurried to the Great Hall where Dumbeldore waited for him. Snape gave  
Gretchen, Harry, and Professor McGonagall each one sip from a what he said was the  
Godric Potion. Professor Flintwick put some charm over the three of them and Harry  
went on the shortest adventure of his life.  
Professor McGonagall apperated, Harry and Gretchen dragged with her. Harry  
didn't know how, and he didn't care. They landed up right, the weak form of Sirius Black  
at their feet. Harry wanted to shout, but the words were lost in his throat. Gretchen quickly  
took off her coat and lay it over the freezing man, but Professor McGonagall seemed  
more intrusted in Sirius's left wrist. "Oh dear...," she said quietly. "The dark lord walks  
again..." 


	5. Chapter 5

A/n: Review? Review! Review! Thank you! Hey, that rymed. Cool!  
  
**Part Five: Holidays**  
  
They appeared back to Hogwarts and, after placing Sirius under an invisibility cloak, carried him to the guest rooms on the first floor, where Dumbleore was waiting for them. Madam Pomfrey didn't know Sirius was innocent, so they couldn't send him to the Hospital Wing, so they decided to nurse him there instead. Moaning Mytrel agreed to give up haunting her bathroom, for a time, so that people would be discouraged from entering the room. The only problem was Sirius himself.  
"He was hit with the Revef curse," Dumbledore said after examining him. "It infects the victim with six months of incurrable fever. When in this state a person has no need to eat or drink, which explains why he's still alive. However, if we can get him some water every few hours he would recover a lot more quickly."  
"So he'll be O.K.?" Harry said hopefully.  
"Yes, he will recover, but he will no doubt be shaken by this experience Harry, much like you were last year. But if I know Sirius- and I know him well- he will express an emotion you didn't very often, anger." Dumbledore sighed and waved his want. A pitcher of water and a glass appeared. They flew over and landed on a night stand beside Sirius. "It will always be full." With that Dumbledore sat down on the bed next to Sirius and began to give him some water.  
Harry just watched. He didn't even attempt to move. He was briefly aware of Professor McGonagall putting a hand on his shoulder, or the door closing behind Gretchen as she left the room. Finally the Professor said, "Go, Harry. Come back in two hours. Sirius won't recover any quicker with you standing there." Harry nodded reluctantly and went back to the common room, expect to see Gretchen there waiting for him, but she was no were to be seen. Harry was about to get the Murderar's Map but then remembered that he had never taken it back when Moody, who turned out to be Barty Croutch, borrowed it from him last year. He decided to go to Professor Elestor's office to see if it was perhaps there.  
Harry hurried to the third floor. When he approached the teachers office, he found that the door was ajar and there were two voices to be heard speaking at the other end. "I'll be keeping my eye on you," Professor Elestor warned.  
"I know," said a softer, smaller voice. "But I assure you, I will do fine on my own."  
There was a brief pause. "Very, well. Now, leave, quickly," Professor Elestor said. Just then someone warring black cloak, hood drawn up so he couldn't see the face, walked out of the room. Whoever it was hurried across the room and out the door, where Harry could here running in the halls. Harry decided that it was best not to look for the map at that moment. He did n't want Elestor to know he had caught her doing whatever it was she  
was doing so he quickly headed for the Gryffindor Common Room. "There you are," Gretchen said as he entered.  
"There you are," he said mocking. "Where were you when I first came in?"  
"Probably in the girls dorms, looking for something..." Gretchen blushed a bit. She reacher into her pocket and pulled out a smooth white stone and handed it to Harry. "It's for you," she said. Harry hesitently took it from her hand and examined it.  
"What is it?" he asked.  
"It's a stone of good fortune. I'm not one to believe in luck myself but...well...it's just something I had. You see those two engravings on the side? One means health and the other happiness. I thought you might like it, considering this is hard for you and all...." her voice trailed off.   
"Thank you," Harry managed. He was at a complete loss for words. Gretchen smiled and began reading her book. Harry stumbeled into the Boys Dorms, plunging on  
his bed and, even though he had only been awake for a few hours, fell asleep.  
  
"Wake Up!" shouted an annoyed voice. Harry opened his eyes to see Iris Indigo standing over him.   
"What are you doing here," Harry asked.  
"Gretta or Gretchen or whoever asked me to wake you up and remind you about SB, whatever that is. So, if you'll excuse me..," Iris turned around and left the room. Harry practedly jumped. Sb. Sirius Black. Had it already been two hours? Harry looked at his lock. Yes! It had been!  
Harry dived down the stairs and ran though the halls to get to Sirius. The holidays progressed in such a manner. Before Harry knew it, fall had passed, and it was Christmas. Sirius was getting better, with the help of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gretchen, but was not awake yet. "Where are we going to get presents?" Hermione asked one day as she, Harry, and Ron walked together. "We can't go to Hogsmede."  
"Oh, don't worry, there's always the candy shop," Harry said.  
"Yeah, and if that doesn't work we can follow in my brothers' example and give everyone toilet seats," Ron said, referring to the time Fred and George had tried to give Harry a toilet seat in his first year. The three chuckled and headed back to the common room, all considering silently in their minds what would make the best gift.   
Then the day finally came. Harry wasn't in a celebration mood when he woke up that morning. He wasn't sure whether that was because it was too early or because of Sirius, but either way, Christmas just wasn't as magical as it should have been.  
Harry looked at the pile of gifts by his bed and began to open them. Harry saw four presents, exactly what he was expecting, picked one up and opened it. The first was from Hagrid. Hagrid had gotten him his own copy of _To Have the Golden Eye: Jecan Jameston's Official Biography_. Harry knew who Jecan Jameston was. He was who most considered to be the best seeker of all time. Harry made a mental note to thank Hagrid next time he saw him.   
Harry turned his attention to his next package, a green sweater from Mrs. Weasly and some sweets. The next package was a bit smaller and Harry wondered whether it was from Ron or Hermione but after reading the card and found that it was from...  
  
Dear Harry,  
We hope this holiday is the best on yet! Hope this   
helps you replace what you lost last year.  
With love,   
Ronand Hermione  
Harry opened the green wrapping paper carefully. Inside was a white box. Harry opened the box and inside found something he never expected: A watch. But not just a watch, a wizard watch like the one Ron had. Harry didn't even know how to read it but he was swelling with pride! That left one question: Who had sent him the last gift?   
Harry picked up the gift and opened in carefully, wondering who it was from. It contained one box of chocolate frogs and some cauldron cakes. A small white, piece of paper fell from it.  
Merry Christmas Harry! Hope things get better with the holidays.  
Love Gretchen  
Harry smiled in spite of himself. He hadn't expected a present from Gretchen. He had sent her some cauldron cakes, but he had thought that the stone she had given him months ago would count as a present. Harry looked at the stone. It was sitting on the top of his trunk because he had been looking at it the night before. He shoved it in his pocket and hurried down to the great hall.  
"Merry Christmas," He greeted as he sat sown next to Ron at the single table in the  
great hall. "Where's Hermione?"  
"She's with Gretchen," Ron explained. "There're complaining about boys."  
"What happened?"  
"Well, you know that ravenclaw boy that likes Hermione?" Harry nodded. "Well, she kissed him last week. She wrote Krum and he wrote back saying they broke up."  
"Really?" Harry said, stunned.  
"Really. That's not all. Justin broke up with Gretchen before he left for the train yesterday. The two are in the bathroom doing some girl brake up ritual which has something to do with crying and chocolate ice cream..."  
"Not ice cream, sundays!" said Ginny Weasly as she sat down next to them, "Don't you boys know anything?" Harry and Ron looked eachother, shrugged and started eating. Ginny sighed and began to eat as well.  
Harry looked around the table. There weren't as many people as usual. There were the four Weaslys, two ravenclaws, and a few huffelpuffs. Hermione was staying because he parents had been called away on some sort of dentists retreat and Ron's parents were in Romania with Charlie. Not meny professors stayed, either. Only, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey. Across the table Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey were enaging in an annoyingly loud conversation. "Well, most people are scared about he-who-must-not be named, that's why they're all going home. Even Severus left, and he never leaves!"  
"Well, that's to be expected, Poppy. Look what the man's already done." There was a silence. The rest of the day continued on in that manner. Hermione, still upset about Krum, went to the arms of Terry, the ravenclaw boy she was now seeing. Gretchen became suddenly fascinated with _Hogwarts,a History_ and didn't do much talking, which left Harry and Ron alone with Fred and George. They had a pretty fun day, but Harry missed having Hermione around.   
Finally the evening feast came. All nine students and two staff members came. Harry didn't see Dumbledore. He wondered were the old man was. About halfway through the feast he showed up, warring brand new socks (curtesy of Harry and Gretchen, for Harry remembered what the old man had said in front of the mirror of Erised all those years ago, and Gretchen thought everyone deserved a good laugh) "I'd like to thank anonymous one and two for the socks he said as he sat down, peering in their direction. Harry had to kick Gretchen in the leg to keep her from laughing. She promptly hit him in the arm.  
Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw a pleasant looking ravenclaw girl smiling at him. Mandy Blocklehurst. She was in Divination with, Harry, though she mostly kept to herself. He smiled back at her. She was really quite beautiful. She had golden hair that curled around her chin, soft blue eyes, and a short square nose that held the rim of thin, black glasses...  
Harry felt his pulse race and his cheeks go red. Why was he acting so childish in front f her? He quickly sat up straight and started eating his meal, which must have surprised Gretchen because she gave him a look of utter confusion, which Harry took no notice of. "That was really sweat of you," Mandy said as she moved closer to him and he mover farther away from his friends.  
"Oh? That was nothing," he said smoothly. "Enjoying the holidays?"  
"Oh, yes," Mandy said, smiling to show off her perfect white teeth. "I heard that they're going to cancel Quiddich?"  
"Yes. They've post ponded the first game for three months. They'll announce that it's not happening soon. Are you a big Quiddich fan?"  
"Well, it's interesting. Some of the mathematical principals are...." Harry laughed, cutting her off. She gave him a cross look.  
"Quiddich isn't about math, it's about having fun and playing the game." Mandy still looked cross. "Do you want me to show you? I could take you on a broom ride sometime?"  
Mandy smiled and her cheeks turned pink. "That sounds..great." Harry smiled at her. The feast was nearly done, and the two parted as Harry headed quickly for the Gryffindor common room. Then suddenly, the realization came. He had just asked a girl out on a date.  
"What happened," Ron asked as soon as he saw Harry.  
"I asked her out," Harry said quickly.  
"What!"  
"I asked her out! We were talking and it just kinda happened," explained Harry. Ron looked stunned.  
"How could you do this to me? I'm the only one without a date," he exclaimed.  
"A date to what?" Harry questioned.  
"Oh, you know what I mean. Hermione has a boyfriend, you have a girlfriend....."  
"I asked her out on a date. That doesn't make her my girlfriend." Ron gave Harry a desperate glance. "Well, Gretchen doesn't have a boyfriend, why don't you just asked her out."  
"No, I don't really like her much any more. Well, I like her but...not in that way."  
Harry nodded. "I need to go see Sirius," he said, "I'll be back soon." Ron nodded and Harry left. The walk down the quiet halls was surprisingly soothing. It felt good knowing.....Harry frowned. He didn't know anything, but that didn't really matter because he was happy just the same. Maybe it was because of Mandy.....  
"What are you doing here?" he asked suddenly.  
"I thought you had forgotten," Gretchen explained as she tipped some water down Sirius's throat. He was babbeling about something, which made the job hard.   
"Let me help," Harry offered quickly. The two worked together and Sirius fell into a deep sleep. Harry sighed. "It's so hard looking at him like that. Sirius is like a father to me."  
"Then it must be hard," Gretchen said. "But if you're asking for comfort, I can't give you any." Harry looked at her oddly.   
"You don't know your father......do you?" he said. Gretchen shrugged.  
"I know who he is, but he doesn't know about me. My mother had him under a love potion. He doesn't remember anything," she explained.  
"How is he?" Harry asked.  
"I don't want to say."  
"Oh, off it. I won't tell anyone," Harry said. "Maybe I'll even help you contact him."  
"Contact him? Why would I do that?" asked Gretchen.  
"Well, don't you think he has the right to know if he has a daughter?" Gretchen pondered this thought. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at nothing, her mind seemed to be far away from the world around her. She sighed.  
"If I live to see the summer holidays, I'll tell you. And him." Harry began to laugh, assuming she was joking, but she didn't even giggle. She looked serious.  
"All right," said Harry finally. Then he added, "Gretchen is something wrong?"  
She looked up at him. "No, nothing." And then she left the room. Harry knew she was lying. What she had said, the way she had acted, had scared him visibly. Harry could see his hands tremble. She knew more then she was letting on.  
Gretchen avoided Harry for the rest of the holidays and then started to hang around with Neville. It wasn't long before everyone but Ron had a date and then.....  
Harry and Mandy were sitting in the library pretending to read while Ron talked and talked about how he needed a girl friend. They were waiting for him to stop so that they could both go get a book and make a small detour to the back of the library, which just happened to be nick-named "Makeout Point". That was when he spotted Lavender Brown, a Gryffindor who was helping him with divination. Harry and Mandy quickly left to make out and by the end of the hour they had company.  
All and all things were going good. Sirius was getting stronger everyday. What could go wrong? 


	6. Chapter Six

a/N: This has been the funnest part to write so far, and hopefully to read as well. I've put in a small, almost unmoticible hint as to one thing that will happen next. If you can figure out what it is, more power to you, if you can't you'll find out soon, because I'll probebly have the next, last and finil part posted with in a few days (or hours) Then I can start on my sixth year story (Yeah!). I already have everything in my time line planned out untl they graduate, so you can expect 2 more seven to eight part fics. Hopefully I won't bore you too much. Hmm...what else did I want to say? Oh, yes. I know exactly how meny people have read each story (it's magic) and how many haven't reviewed, and it's real discouraging for an author. So please..please...review. That is all.  
  
**Part Six: Tears and Whispers  
**  
When Harry walked in late for Defense Against Dark Arts the only seat left was next to Gretchen. He sat down next to her and tried to say hello, but her mind was somewhere so far away that Harry couldn't reach it.  
He sighed. He missed Gretchen's friendship. It had been nice to know someone how seemed so sure of herself, but lately the girl had been anything but. Whatever Gretchen was hiding, it was having a visible effect on her. Her pale colored skin was nearly white, her once perfectly braided hair was now not touched and tangled, and her brownish-black eyes seemed to have lost something....that glow that you have when you smile. She couldn't smile with her eyes anymore. Harry didn't know what to do.  
He had talked to Hermione and Ron about it. They assumed she was joking when she said "if I live till summer holidays" but Harry knew she wasn't. The only thing that seemed good about her at all was her influence of Neville who was now twice as confident and twice as skillful. But with all this excitement of his own success, Neville failed to see what Harry did, her unhappiness.  
Harry knew that he couldn't have been the only one to notice that something was wrong? Where was Professor McGonagall, the house leader? Where was Hermione, her best friend? Or Ron, who had formerly loved her? Where was anyone? Harry didn't care who helped her, he just wanted someone to, because he had tried and it didn't work.  
Only Professor Dumbledore had noticed something. He eyed her carefully during meals, but never made a mover to speak with her. He had said, "She has a secret that I cannot make her speak of. Whatever it is, though, it's eating her away." A scary thought entered Harry's head, what if Gretchen really was insane? She had been in Mungo's for eleven years, what if it was all for good reason?  
Harry quickly pushed that thought aside. No, she could be... "Mr.Potter would you please pay attention," Professor Elistor demanded. Harry looked towards her. She was sitting at her desk, which was perfectly cleared of all clutter except for the white package she had received many months ago. "Now, as I was saying, the O.W.L.s you took last week will be graded by our next lesson....Miss.Locus? Are you paying attention?" Gretchen made no move to even acknollage that she heard the professor. "Miss. Locus.....Ahh!" As the professor had been yelling she pounded her arm on the desk, sending the white box and it's silvery content flying. Harry and Gretchen were cover in goo. The world around them began to fade.....  
"You'll have to stay here, my sweet," a cold voice said. Two people came bursting into the small dark kitchen. One was around thirty-five, the other was around four. Harry for some reason knew that he was eleven years in the past, when he was already five and she was still four (Gretchen's birthday was the day before term started). She was small, he brown hair short. When standing next to the dark-magic filled form of her mother Gretchen seemed to glow. She glowed with innocence, and compassion.  
"Why can't I go with you," the girl asked. Harry felt a hand grab his. Gretchen, the real fifteen year old Gretchen, had grabbed it. She was with him. She was Ron, and Hermione, and the rest of the class was. They were all inside Gretchen's memory.  
"You've already caused enough trouble, child. That one, Mad-eye Moody, he knows my secret, and do you want to know why?" Little Gretchen trembled. "Because you told you nanny all about me! Now it's your fault that I have to leave!"  
"Mummy, mummy, I didn't know," Gretchen sobbed.   
"Yes, you did you...," the kitchen door burst open. Three figured emerged. One was of Mad-eye Moody, the next was Albus Dumbeldore, and the third was Severus Snape. Harry blinked what was he.....  
"It's been a look time," Snape said. "I see you still follow the dark ways. You still believe Voldemort will return."  
"He'll come back," the evil woman said. "When he returns my sacrifice will be ready." The woman smiled coldly at her daughter, who was suddenly still.  
"Enough," Moody said. With that the exchanged of spells began. Curses and hexes were muttered, but to no gain until finally and strong voice yelled..  
"_Stuperfy!_" A body fell to the ground. Albus Dumbeldore still had his wand pointed at the body of Winetta Locus. Moody bound her with ropes while Albus moved towards Gretchen, extending his hand as she stared at him blankly.  
"What did she mean by sacrifice, Severus," Moody asked.  
"Winny was going to give her daughter to the dark lord, all ready has in most ways. She's a poor kid. I don't know why, but they put a great many of curses and hexes on the child already........"  
"Enough wandering in Gretchen's thoughts. They are not yours to see," a strong voice addressed. Albus Dumbledore stood before them, dragging all of them back to their real lives. Professor Elistor must have been making her own pensive and gotten careless...  
Harry looked down as a sharp pain filled his left hand. He looked down and saw that Gretchen was still grasping it, but that didn't make sense.....She started to run out of the class room, not noticing Harry's grip. Her fingers slipped from his hand and she was gone. Before he knew what was happening, Harry was following her, Neville, Ron, and Hermione behind him.  
He grabbed her arm and she stopped running so that she could turn around and see him. "Harry...," she started to say as a tear ran down her check.  
"Gretchen are you all right?" Neville asked as he walked up to her and grabbed her, forcing Harry to let go of her arm. He held her in his arms for a moment, then noticed that she was trembling. "Here...," he said as he took of it button up sweater and put it around her shoulders. It was three times to large for her, but she smiled an empty smile just the  
same.  
"Thank you Neville," she said. "Weird isn't it? That none of us are covered with that stuff anymore?" They all nodded. Hermione was about to say something when Albus Dumbeldore walked up behind them.  
"Ah, there you are Miss. Locus. Harry, Neville, Hermione, Ron, I need to speak with Gretchen alone on this matter, so please go with the rest of your class to the Gryffindor Common room and wait for you next class." He saw the desperate look on Neville's face and added, "This won't that long." Everyone nodded. For a second Harry thought he heard Gretchen say something. _Tonight's the night, please don't let him follow me...._, but no one else seemed to hear anything, so Harry dismissed the thought and went back with his friends to the common room. He peered back once to see Gretchen peering back at him with a look of confusion on her face, but they both turned away quickly.  
"Was that her mother?" Neville asked. Harry nodded. The others looked at him, as if trying to ask a question, but were silent. "What do you guys know that I don't?"  
Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione, who nodded. "Her mother was a deatheater." That was that. There was silence.   
Harry could hardly bare to stay in his common room all day. It was just too much. A few minuets before lunch he told Ron and Hermione that he was going for a brief walked and that he'd see them for lunch. Now he was walking, lunch was halfway over, and he still felt restless. From a distance, he heard a faint sob. Harry followed the sound.  
"Gretchen, what are you doing?" Harry asked when he found her crying in the trophy room. She quickly wiped her eyes.  
"Nothing, Harry. I just needed some time to myself," she explained. _Good bye, Harry, and don't come after me...._  
Good bye, Harry thought bewildered, but terms doesn't end till.....  
A look of confusion spread across both faces. Gretchen quickly got up and left the common room. Harry headed for the Great Hall, where dinner was almost over. He didn't eat. He just sat there, not knowing what to say or think.  
"Hermione, could you go up and see if Grtechen's still in the girl's dorm. I want to talk to her," Harry half-asked half-ordered as soon as they were back in the common room. She nodded and ran up the stairs.  
"Do you suppose that the memory we saw was bothering her, the one with her mum?" Ron asked when Hermione was out of sight.  
"Perhaps. All I know is......"  
"She's gone!" Hermione shouted as she ran towards Ron and Harry. The whole common room went silent from her yelling, but Hermione didn't notice. "She's gone! Gretchen's gone! She left Neville's sweater on her bed along with letters for us."  
"What!" Neville asked as he pushed his way threw the crowd. Hermione handed everyone their letters. Harry read his silently.  
Dear Harry,  
I think you already know somehow, but I'm going to explain anyway. Harry, I had to go. My mother considers me a trader, and the only way to keep her from killing me is to pretend to be like her. This was the plan: I would become good friends with you and when they "kidnapped" me you would try to save me. DON'T FOLLOW ME HARRY! I'll be safe here. If you stay at Hogwarts, you will be, too. It all works out better this way.Thank you, for being the best friend I've ever known. Sure as the sun will rise, I'll never forget you.   
With all my love   
Gretchen  
  
"Can I read yours," Harry asked Ron. The tall, lanky, red head handed him the letter. It was short, sweet, and to the point.  
  
Dear Ron,  
I'm afraid I cannot stay at Hogwarts anymore. I've felt alone for a long time, and I just can't take anymore. I'll miss you.   
Gretchen  
Harry thrust Ron's letter back into his hands and stormed out of the common room, down the stairs, and to Professor McGonagall's office. He knock loudly and barged in before getting a response. "Mr. Potter...," Professor McGonagall, who was deep in conversation with Professor Snape, raged.  
"Gretchen's gone," Harry thrust the latter into the profrssor's hands. "She went to her mum. Read it." Professor McGonagall, who's lips were very thin, began to read, irritation spreading onto every expression on her face. Then suddenly her features softened, her eyes grew wide, and her jaw opened slightly. She passed the paper genitally to Snape, who read it was a puzzeled expression on his face. For a few moments everything was still. To Harry it felt like hours.   
"Dumbledore," Professor McGonagall said, "now." She got up from her chair and ran to the door, grabbing Harry's hand somewhere along the way. She raced to the office, ushering Harry though the halls along the way as he struggled to keep up with her. "Green bean," she said quickly. The gargoyle swung aside and she started up the stairs at a pace twice as fast as the one she had just traveled by, dragged Harry behind her. Snape followed, though he didn't run. The puzzeled expression was still lingering about his face.   
The three walked through the office door. Dumbledore was siting at his desk reading a News Paper, the comics in the news paper. He looked up, "Minerva, Severus, Harry to what do I owe the pleasure?" He was smiling, but that faded quickly as he at the faces of his visiors."What has happened?"  
"Gretchen Locus. She ran away. When to her mum. She wrote this to Potter, and some to her friend, but according to this they don't know....," Professor McGonagall quickly explained. Snape, who was the last to read the letter, handed it to Dumbledore. He skimmed it quickly, and then looked up towards Harry.  
"Any idea where she's headed?" he asked. Harry shock his head. Dumbledore sighed. He sank into his chair resting his elbows on his desk. He placed his head on his left hand. "I should have known. The girl has been acting strangely since Christmas. You could see the changes in her aura......."  
"She's cursed," Snape interrupted. "They fear her, you know," he shot a look at Harry. "She doesn't know the power she holds. That's why they hurt her. However, they wont kill her, not yet. We have a chance. We can still save her."  
"I know, Severus. And I would go after her myself, if I knew where she was," said Dumbledore. "But that's the problem. She doesn't want to be found."  
Harry was speechless. How could he have let this happen? He knew something was wrong. How could she have done something like this, though? Even if she was desperate? She could have told Dumbledore, of Harry, or anyone....but she didn't. Harry felt confused. According to the letter she was happy with them..in a way. Thank you, for being the best friend I've ever known. _Sure as the sun will rise, I'll never forget you_, the letter had said. Sure as the sun will rise.......  
"East," Harry whispered. "The sun rises to the east."  
"What? But how does that...," Professor McGonagall began.   
"Yes. The east," said Albus Dumbledore. "It was the east. Severus, I'm calling a staff meeting. All classes are to be dismissed to common rooms. Harry, how else received a letter?"  
"Hermione, Ron, and Neville."  
"Minerva, grab them please and lead them to my office. Harry, come with me." The two professors scurried out of the office as if they were running from a fire. Dumbledore and Harry followed them in silence. When they were at last out of ear shot the old man spoke. "There is a way to find Gretchen, Harry. It is a magic so old that it is all but forgotten, but I know the spell, and I believe we can perform it.  
"You see, Harry, the oldest of magic was not performed with wands. No, wands came only two thousand years ago, when humans were in the habit of carrying around staffs and arrows and other such things. You see, Harry, our minds developed quicker, as did our emotions. For the most ancient of magic is based upon that Harry. It is made with the soul itself. It is that magic that enabled your mother to save you all those years ago. It is that magic that has saved Voldemort from his bodiless existence. It is that magic which is perhaps the strongest of all."  
They were in the hall now. Dumbeldore clapped his hands and a once dusty armor suite became clean and shinny. "You see, Harry? That's almost like what we're doing, but that is magic of the mind. Spells with wands a recent next to that. Potions and Transfiguration. Those were the first two magics. Then came divination, and Herbology. Then charms, curses and hexes. Wand Spells. More and more things kept happening, some before, some after. The Dark Arts emerged. Of course, there were always darks arts. But wands is what really made everything happen. You see, those who practice the dark arts are looking for an easy way of magic. Wands made the dark short cuts easy. But that is not our concern now. Finding Gretchen before it is too late, that is."  
"What are we going to do Professor?" Harry asked.   
"A spell," he said, "an ancient spell. A spell so old that no one remembers its name. Not even I. Let us call it a love spell, for it is made with love. Back in ancient times, people were more easily lost. When that happened their most intimate friends and family members would make a potion, think of the lost one, drink it and instantly find themselves next to that loved one. They would drink a seconds sip and the loved one and they would be back in their previous location." Harry nodded.  
"So we'd go to her, grab her, and bring her back," Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded.   
"I have performed this spell only once before, back in the days of my youth after childhood. I am not entirely sure how it will work this time. That is why I want you to prepare to be sent to her alone."  
"Alone?" Harry questioned.  
"Yes. You were her closest friend," Dumbledore said.  
"No. She was dating Neville. They spent all their..."  
"Yes, she was dating Neville. But, it seems to me, that was just a well crafted way to avoid you. Gretchen has never known anyone deeply, much less someone who wakes her up in the middle of the night, or how she trusts with a picture of her mother, or the secret of the blood bind. You see, Ron and Hermione don't know about that. Nor does Neville, or he would have not been so shocked upon hearing you call Gretchen's mum a deatheater. You see Harry, she trusted you, and then got scared when she knew she would be forced to leave you. She didn't want to leave Ron and Hermione either, so she went to Neville, who she would miss. But he was one. You were three," the Professor explained "As I was saying, there is a good chance that only you, who knows her best, will be able to go to her. Now, get your cloak, get your wand. Then go to the kitchens and have Dobby show you to the stone hall. He will know what that means. Go, Harry. Go now."  
Harry nodded and then ran off. He almost knocked over Collin Creevy as he raced into his dorm to get his cloak. His wand was already in his pocket. "Did you find Gretchen," Seamus asked as Harry tore through his trunk. Dean was standing next to him.  
"Not yet. Soon." With that Harry was off, this time nearly tackeling Iris Indigo, the Quiddich keeper. He was racing though the hall when....  
"There you are, Harry," a voice said, "I didn't see you at dinner." Harry spun around and was met by Mandy's smiling face.  
"Hello. Look, I'd love to chat but there's just no time...."  
"Harry why on Earth are you running though the halls like an animal?" Mandy questioned. Harry walked up to her and gave her a short kiss.   
"I'd love to explain, but I haven't got time. If I don't hurry Gretchen...."  
"Gretchen? Gretchen! Are you dumping me fore Gretchen!"  
"No!" Harry said fiercely. "Gretchen ran way and......I'll explain it soon." Harry ran off leaving a bewildered Mandy in the hall all alone. He ran up to the paint of the fruit and tickled the pear. Swinging the picture back, he ran into the kitchen where he was met by a mob of eager house elves. Including Dobby.  
"Harry Potter! Harry Potter! You come to see Dobby!" the elf shouted.  
"Yes," Harry Potter lied. "I need you to show me to the stone hall. Dumbledore said you would know what to do."  
"The stone hall," Dobby said in a more serious voice then Harry had ever heard him use. "Harry Potter must go this way." Dobby started walking towards the fire. He knocked on the third stone up from the floor on it's right side three times. A door swung open revealing a narrow set of winding stairs. The house elf started down. Harry followed.   
There were many stairs probably hundreds, but it only seemed that he had walked down ten when he reached the bottom. "Magic," the house elf muttered. Harry looked around the room. It was large and circular, a bit larger that Dumbledore's office, and Harry reckoned that the Office was in the same place a few floors up. The walls of the room where made of cold gray stone, just as the floors and walls. There were four statues hanging from the walls. One was at the south-east, an eagle. One at the south west, a snake, one at the north west, a badger, and the finial at the north east, a lion. Under the statues burned torches. The flames were each the color of the house they represented.  
Harry heard a rumbling noise behind him. The stair case that had lead him there was gone, replaced by wall. Dobby had left. There was a rolling noise in front of him. A new piece of wall slid out. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbeldore came parading down the stairs. As soon as the wall had slid back into place, Dumbeldore spoke. "Welcome to the stone hall. This is where all the Hogwarts headmasters would perform there most intimate spells. The last professor to use it before me was Headmistress Constance Mistimy over two hundred years ago. I started using when Voldemort came to power. How appropriate that because of him it must be used again.  
"Now, all of us here will try our luck with the potion. Severus, do you have everything you will need?"  
"Yes, Headmaster," the man replied. He took three leather pouches, all small enough to fit in his palm at the same time, out of his pocket. One was green, the next white, and the third black. Dumbeldore nodded and stepped to the middle of the room where he tapped on the center brick once. A piece of the floor subsided and a large black cauldron emerged in it's place. It was a thick cauldron, Harry noted, so Percy couldn't have  
complained about it.  
Dumbledore lit a black flamed fire underneath the cauldron. Snape walked up to it. He took the green pouch and added all it contained into the cauldron. A small pop sound was heard then quickly replaced by the sound of boiling water. Green boiling water. He next added the white pouch, only half, and a heavenly sound filled the air. It quickly vanished. Snape waited a few moments before adding the powder from the black pouch. He added only a pinch, but it had a greater effect then anything. Black smoke filled the air and loud shrikes could be heard everywhere. Harry couldn't decide whether he should cover his ears or hold his nose. "Stay still," a voice commanded. Harry froze where he stood. The smoke began to clear. Dumbeldore and Snape were standing by the cauldron, putting some bubbling potion into a bottle, and then more of it the second. The two retreated back to the circle the small group had formed.  
"After you Severus," Dumbeldore said.  
Snape took a sip from the first cup. "To help a girl."  
He passed it to Professor McGonagall, who also took a sip. "To save a furture."  
Hermione had it next. "To find a friend." After sipping, she handed it to Ron.  
"To prevent a death," he said awkwardly as sipped and handed it to Neville.  
"To strength the one who has given me strength," he said quietly, but in a sure steady tone. He took a sip and passed the sup to Harry.   
Time seemed to stop. A picture of Gretchen formed in her mind, Gretchen who had danced with him on Halloween, who always smiled and laughed and was so sure. Gretchen who trusted him. The Gretchen who he though of sometimes when he wasn't sure of himself, the one he would wake in the middle of the night.   
"To find the one who I can count on ad who trusts me blindly." The word escaped his mouth before he knew he was talking. Harry raised the bottle to his lips and took a very small sip. A feeling out weightlessness over took him. He handed the bottle to Albus Dumbledore, who handed him the second bottle which was closed with a stopper. Harry slipped it into his pocket. Dumbeldore smiled.  
"To find the light held in the darkness," he said proudly. He took a sip. The weightlessness overtook Harry and a field of white filled his eyes. There was no sound save for the heavenly music he had heard earlier when Snape added the white powder and the ever fading sound of Albus Dumbledore humming continently to himself as the spell began.  
Then it all stopped. Harry opened his eyes. He was standing in the middle of a forest, a hot forest. There were voices in the distense. One Harry recognized immediately, for it was one her could never forget. The voice wasn't speaking, it was laughing. A cold, high pitched laugh. It was the sound of Lord Voldemort.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Someone dies...The end of the story is a little darker then I intended it to be, but I think it's pretty good. What do you think ::hint hint REVIEW::  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the story.**  
  
Part Seven: The Fire**  
  
He started to walk towards the laugh, but someone grabbed his arm. Ron. Ron was with him. Hermione was, too, and Neville. None of the Professor's were there, not even Dumbledore. "Come this way," Ron whispered, "Hermione found a spot were we can see them." Harry nodded and followed Ron. He led Harry to Hermione, who was standing between to old trees. She moved to let Harry stand there.  
Voldemort and the Deatheaters were there, just beyond the two trees. All of them were masked, except for Voldemort and Gretchen. She was standing just behind Voldemort, her hands in ropes behind her back. A deatheater who was a little shorter then she was standing next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Harry guessed that the deatheater was Gretchen's own mother.  
"He's not coming," Voldemort said loudly.  
"It may take time. I have only been gone a few hours," Gretchen stated. Voldemort laughed again.   
"You truly are a snake and the grass. But don't worry, I could use a servant with that sort of evil." Harry's scare began to burn. He saw Gretchen tremble, Hermione gasp, Ron turn away, and Neville blink in disbelief. The clumsy boy took a step back words, braking a twig. The Deatheaters thought nothing of it. Voldemort did, but only for a  
moment. Gretchen did. She looked over towards them and her mouth opened in disbelief. _Why did you come..._He heard her say. But her lips did not move and Harry knew that she hadn't said it, she thought it.  
_Voldemort is evil, Gretchen. He would not let you live long_, Harry thought to her. She looked at him but said/thought nothing. "Potter isn't coming, Voldemort, I have lied to you," she said quickly. "I warned him of your plan. He will not come." Voldemort spun around, rage visible on every inch of him.   
"Wait, my lord, she is my daughter, I will handle her," the deatheater next to Gretchen said. The cloaked figure lifted her wand and pointed it at Gretchen.   
"No!" Harry shouted as he dropped his invisibility cloak on the ground and he and Neville ran out towards the deatheaters. "Leave her be. I am here."  
"Harry!" Gretchen shouted. "Neville! Hurry! Run! Run!"  
"Not without you," Neville said. Voldemort smiled.  
"Release her," he commanded one of his servants. A big figure came and cut the ropes binding Gretchen's arms with a gleaming silver dagger. He pushed he r forward onto the ground. "She's free, Harry. Nothing stands between you. Aren't you going to save her now?"  
"No, Harry! Stay were you are! I do not need rescuing!" Gretchen shouted. Her voice was suddenly muffled by the chuckling of several deatheaters.  
"You'll kill me," Harry claimed. "You'll kill me dead if I take one step towards her. You know it. I know it." Voldemort laughed.  
"But it seems your friends do not." He continued to laugh as he raised his wand, sending Harry and Neville flying into the air. When he landed he was inside some sort of cage. A cage with bars of shining gold magic. Neville was behind him. Ron and Hermione, too. His invisibility cloak still in their hands.  
It was hard to see threw the gold bars, and hard to hear. What he did see and hear, Harry didn't like. He could hear laughter, and see figured prancing around in delight. He could see them lighting a fire in the middle of the came, one made a joke about eating Harry's insides. Harry wanted to throw up.   
In the middle of all the commotion, a figure stood very still, Gretchen. Harry couldn't see her eyes, but he could feel her gaze tearing threw him. "What do we do, now?" Ron asked.  
Harry sighed. He turned around to look at Ron...to get away from the images of the world outside. "I don't know." A sudden rage filled Harry. He turned around and kicked one of the golden bars. "Ahh!" he cried. Pain shoot threw his leg, as if it were burning. He turned back to Ron. "Well, we can't do that."  
"Does anybody even know what this is? What he put us in?" Hermione asked. "We've never learned about these is school..."  
"School!" Ron shouted. "We're all about to die and you're thinking about school!"  
"Die!" Neville shouted. "I don't want to die! I wish I had never met Gretchen. This is all her fault. We're about to die and...."  
"This isn't her fault," Harry said suddenly. "She didn't choose to be the daughter of the deatheater. There are two reasons Gretchen came here. The first is to stop Voldemort from killing me. Or to at least delay it. The second is to prevent her mum from killing her. Because to a nut case like that it's all Gretchen's fault that she had to stay in Azkaban for eleven years. Voldemort. It all leads back to Voldemort."  
There was a silence in the small golden world. No one really knew what to say. "Do you think we are all to die tonight?" Hermione asked Harry. The boy with raven black hair and eyes green as emeralds looked out towards the party of deatheatetrs, towards the fire they had lite in their camp, and towards the girl, the girl who was the single reason they  
were here.   
"I didn't come here to die. I came to find Gretchen and go home. That's what I'm going to do," he said softly. Hermione slapped him.  
"You're a fool Harry Potter, you really are! We're trapped! She's trapped and you're talking about her! She's safe on the other side!" the girl with bushy hair shouted.  
"Don't lose you're head. You don't want to attract his attention," said a muffled voice from the other side. Gretchen had walked up to the golden cage. She put her hand on one of the beams, buts quickly drew it away. She looked at Harry. "Why did you come after me? I told you to stay."  
"Stay and let him kill you?" Harry said. Gretchen smiled faintly.  
"Voldemort's scared of you, Harry. Why, I don't know, but he is. This must mean you have some power, some way of hurting him that the rest of us lack. If you can kill him, Harry, if you can kill Lord Voldemort, then the lose of my life to now to save yours is honorable and sensible at the same time," she explained.  
"Well, to bad. Gretchen, do you know what this is? How to get out?" She shock her head. "Damn. Well, what can we do now?"  
"I don't know. I'll try to.......,"  
"Enough," Voldemort shouted. The parties stopped. All eyes were on the dark lord. "Now, perhaps it is time that we let two members of our party recognize each other. Harriet, if you would please join me."  
"Yes, master," said a familiar voice. Harriet Elestor. The Defense Against Dark Arts professor. She  
practiced them all along.  
"Now, see Harry? See what a git you have been? One of your trustiest friends and trusted professors turned out to be evil. They are mine. And so now you and your friends will die in a pathetic attempt to save this snake in the grass, your Gretchen. And now.." The dark lord waved his wand, a look of pure madness about his face.  
"STOP!" Gretchen shouted. She stepped in front of Voldemort and his prey, pressing her back against the golden light despite the pain it must have cause her. "I'm not going to let you kill Harry."  
"A snake in the grass....a garden snake. How do you intend to stop me, child? You think mummy will protect you? That woman would kill you in an instant if I ordered her to." Gretchen didn't move. She held her wand in her right hand, and pointed it at Voldemort. The man laughed and with good reason. Her hand was shaking. Gretchen kept her body glued to the golden bars. Her left palm was pressing hard ageist the bar closest to  
Harry. He reached for it.  
The pain that should have struck him was nonexistent, and only a slight tickling sensation dared come his way. Harry saw Gretchen's body visibly relax. And her mind. Harry could feel the inside of her mind, feel her inside his._ On three...._Gretchen thought. Harry turned around. "Everyone hold hands and get ready to run towards the forest," he  
whispered. Everyone nodded. Ron grabbed his hand, Hermione grabbed Ron's and Neville completed the chain.  
_One.._.,"One," Harry whispered.  
T_wo..._., "Two."  
_Three_! "Run!" Gretchen leapt forward and dashed threw the deatheaters. Harry followed behind her, not feeling a thing as he passed threw the prison. As soon as Neville was threw everyone let go. Ron and Hermione, who still had Harry's cloak, ran right, while Harry dashed towards the left. He couldn't see Gretchen, he only heard her scream.  
"Neville!"   
Harry stopped dead in his tracks and spun around with a speed the eye could barely catch. Gretchen was struggling in the arms of her mother, and Harry was briefly aware that the arms of the deatheater with the silver blade enclosed around him, for his mind was else were. Neville had ran straight into Voldemort.   
The boy trembled in fear, but the dark lord only laughed. _"Avada Kramada!"_ A light of the most brilliant green spun from the wand of the mad man. It hit Neville and with a loud hiss the boy was dead. There was smoke all around. _Why hasn't to body hit the ground....._  
The smoke cleared. All that was left of Neville Longbottem was a pile of battered robes and a small wand that seemed to be crying, it emitted gold sparks like tears. Gretchen began to sob. Harry could hear her, but he wasn't listening.   
"Now for the next problem....," Voldemort said, amusement creeping into his voice.  
"Please, let me take care of it....," Grtechen's mother said. The dark lord smiled. Gretchen's mother waved her wand and Harry found himself in the air. His back hit a pole, no a tree trunk, and roped swirled around him like a snake coils around it's prey before the kill. They closed in so tight that Harry could barely breath. A hand wrapped around his own. Gretchen was on the other side of the tree.  
"This is worth the wait," Voldemort hissed. "You see Harry, I had every intention of marching into Hogwarts and killing you Christmas night. I was inside Hogwarts grounds. Inside of the forbidden forest. I knew Dumbledore was with you, but my thirst to kill was strong, so strong that the old man didn't matter to me, only you.  
"I knew that there was a chance of my death, of course, if I challenged him. For Dumbledore is a strong wizard, that I will never deny. I was about to go to you when my faithful servant Harriet came to me, saying she had a way to get you out of Hogwarts. She explained it would take time, but months don't matter to me anymore, Harry. They seem  
to be but only days. Gretchen's offer to act as bait was excepted. I came back to Albania, to wait.  
"So here you are now, Harry. Foolishly going against your friends warnings and coming to save her from me. I'll admit, I didn't expect such defiance from Gretchen. I thought she was loyal. But that is of no matter now. She had given me what I wanted. She has given me you. Now, you will die. You will die with a foolish girl. The second who was willing to give up her own life to save you. Die with Gretchen Locus....for all my work on her has failed. Isn't it funny, Harry? The only two in the world who have a prayer of stopping me will be destroyed in one night? I had hoped we could turn your friend like us but.....  
"Ah, I'm getting sentimental. Enough of that. Death is waiting." Voldemort waved his wand and fire appeared at the roots of the tree. Harry could feel it against his left hand, the one Gretchen held.   
Use your wand to get the ropes.....I'll take care of the fire....Gretchen said in his mind. All of the sudden the flames that had been by his feet retreated to her side of the tree, twice as tall now, and she cried out as the kissed her skin and made it crackle and burn, coughed as the smoked filled her lungs. Harry struggled threw the ropes to get his wand. Finally it was secure in his right hand.  
"_Accio_," he shouted. The silver dagger that had been used to cut the ropes holding Gretchen's hands earlier that evening flew to him, cutting the roped that bound him now. Harry feel against the ground hard and forced himself to recover quickly to help Gretchen from the flames. She was still gripping his left hand, and he used it to pull her towards him.  
Together to two started running into the night.  
They headed towards the path Ron and Hermione had taken. Three feet into the branches of the forest Gretchen stumbled and fell. Harry began to lift her. "Come on, come on we need to go..," but she couldn't hear him over her own coughing. Harry lifted her up and put her armed around his shoulder, and his around her waist and dragged her as  
best he could. He was very grateful that Gretchen was light.  
The two stumbled through the forest as best they could, hearing the voices of the deatheaters that threatened to overtake them at any moment. Harry saw a small cave in the distense and dragged Gretchen to it, then hurried inside.   
Gretchen continued to cough. There was blood coming from her mouth. Were her lungs bleeding? Harry didn't know. He couldn't feel the inside of her mind any more. Perhaps she was too injured to think. Harry looked at her battered form. Her right hand, the hand that had been holding Harry's was burned, along with her left arm, and both her legs. Her left cheek was also rough looking. She wouldn't stop coughing. Harry didn't know what to do. He couldn't leave without Ron and Hermione, but he knew that if her stayed much longer Gretchen would die.  
Harry sat down next to her. He had to think. He needed silence. And then it came, and wished that he had never asked for it. Gretchen made not a sound. Her eyes closed and her body fell from it's sitting position to the floor. Harry's heart beat so hard that he was sure it was about to come out of his chest. Was she dead?  
No, Gretchen was not dead. Harry could faintly hear the sound of air passing though her throat. A wheezing sound. "I'll be back," he whispered to her. Harry left the cave, determined to find his two other friends, hoping he could do it in time.  
"Halt!" said a sudden voice. Harry froze. A small shaggy creature walked in front of him. "This is my land. You cannot pass."  
"I'm not interested in your land. I'm interested in finding my friends. Have you seen them?" Harry asked.  
"DO NOT MOCK ME!" the creature shouted as he knocked Harry down to the ground. "And now...."  
"_Kamedercara_!" someone shouted. A bright flash of blue light emerged and the creature ran away. Harry turned to see Hermione's arm behind him. The rest of her was  
hidden safely under his cloak. "Oh, Harry," she breathed as she flung her arms around him. "We thought...we saw him kill Neville and....we had to get away...." A sudden anger flowed through Harry. His friends had seen Neville die and they ran. The didn't stay to help him. He wanted to yell..but he couldn't.  
"Gretchen's dying," he said quickly. "I left her in cave near by. We have to Hurry. Then we'll take the potion...."  
"We should leave her, here," Ron said. He was invisible, which scared Harry, but he still spoke. "It's her own fault all of this happened." Harry grabbed his cloak and pulled it off his friends. He punched Ron in the nose.  
"We are not leaving her. She's the only reason Voldemort didn't brake into Hogwarts and kill all of us at Christmas," he said as he remembered what the evil man had said. He grabbed Ron's arm and began to drag him towards the cave and the stopped suddenly as it came into view. Deatheaters! He could see them, hear them, one was crying.....  
"She was my child," the sobbing one said.  
"I know," said another, Pettigrew. "But she is all but dead now. It is the boy's fault. Don't worry. You'll get revenge." Gretchen's mother flung her arms around Peter Pettigrew.  
"How do we get passed them?" Hemrione asked.   
"We...we body bind them and run. There are only two. Two Vs Three, and we have the surprise attack," Harry said.  
"What if there are more inside?" Harry was silent.   
"We attack on three," he said as he raised his wand. "One..two..three.._Petrificus Totalus_!" The three curses hit the two bodies and they fell like stones. Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran inside the cave were Gretchen lay alone.  
"Oh my..," Hermione gasped as she saw her friend. Harry quickly took the potion from his pocket and poured some down Gretchen's mouth, then grabbed her and held her in his arms. He took a sip from the bottle and then passed it to Ron and Hermione.   
The weightless feeling took over him again. White filled his vision. He held Gretchen tightly in his arms. He could feel her, but couldn't see her. Her mind touched his, and his hers. It was as if they were in a different world, all by themselves. Harry saw Gretchen away from him and Grabbed her hand. "You've got to go, Harry," she said. The stone hall replaced that world in the blink of an eye. They were back at Hogwarts.  
Professor McGonagall raced towards Harry. She crouched down next to him and put her fingers on Gretchen's neck. "Where's Longbottem," Snape asked. Hermione and Ron looked to Harry.  
"He...he...Voldemort killed him. Used the killing curse. He just disappeared all that's left of him......," Harry couldn't speak anymore. He felt tears in his eyes. This was different from last year, the loss. He had known Neville so well....how could this have happened?  
"We need to get her to the hospital wing, Albus," Professor McGonagall interrupted. Dumbledore nodded.   
"Go, Minerva. I'll take the others up in a few moments," Dumbledore said. Professor McGonagall lifted Gretchen from Harry's arms and started walking up a set of stairs that appeared as a piece of the wall hurried out of the way. Harry watched her until she was out of sight. "Your arm," Dumbledore said suddenly. Harry looked down at his left arm. His hand, the one Gretchen had held, was burned. It was burned from his fingers  
to his elbow. He hadn't noticed.  
Dumbledore took Harry's arm in his hand, inspecting it. Harry expected it to hurt, but he felt nothing. "As long as you are in no pain, the injury can wait." Harry nodded. Dumbledore paced the room. "I need you three to tell me what happened."  
Ron and Hermione started to explain. They told Dumbledore about the golden cage, and how they were somehow able to run threw it, and how they had hidden under the invisibility cloak, and how Neville died. Then it was Harry's turn. He told Dumbledore about hearing Gretchen's thoughts earlier that day, and how Gretchen could hear his. He explained how they were able to run threw the cage, and being caught by the man with the silver dagger. He told them abbot the tree trunk, the fire and the cave. The explanations lasted for ten whole minuets. "I see," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort is angry now. He has a thirst for blood." The old man sighed. "It is time we get you to the hospital wing, Harry. No need to let that arm get infected. Ron, Hermione, you should come as well. You all  
need rest. Rest and a chance not to think. Yes, we'll give you all a sleeping potion. I need to contact Neville's grandmother. Severus, could you please take them." Snape nodded and headed up the stairs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed.  
"What's going to happen now?" Hermione whispered. Ron put his arm around her.  
"We get to go to bed for the night," Ron explained. "It will be enchanted, like the sleep Harry was in last year. That way we won't have nightmares." Hermione nodded. There were tears covering her face. Ron's, too. Harry didn't notice his own. He didn't want to be reminded of the death of his friend, the one who had earned the extra ten house  
points first year to win the house cup, the one who was always looking for his toad, Trevor, or getting picked on by Malfoy. Neville may not have seemed to be an important person, but the image of his robes on the ground, with no Neville, made Harry want to die, too.  
Snape opened the door to the hospital wing. Harry wondered how it was possible for them to get there so quickly. Had it been magic? Or had he simply not noticed the time pass? Harry walked into the hospital wing. Snape walked over to Professor McGonagall, whispered soemthing in her ear, and then retreated to the other side of the room, returning with a bottle of orange liquid and some bandages. He handed it to McGonagall, who walked over to Harry.  
"Sit down," she ordered as she gestured to a chair across the room. It came flying to them. Harry sat. Professor McGonagall some of the orange liquid on a cloth and began wiping it on Harry's arm. It tickled slightly, and then pinched a bit, but Harry didn't really care.  
"How's Gretchen," he asked. The professor pretended not to hear him. "How's Gretchen," he repeated.  
"I don't know, Potter. Madam Pomfrey's seeing to her now." With the corner of his eye, Harry saw Severus Snape pass through closed curtains carrying a blue potion. Harry knew instantly that Gretchen was in there, but he said nothing.  
"Now," McGonagall said as she finished with Harry's arm, "It's time for bed." She handed Ron, Hermione, and Harry a set of night cloths each and handed them each a bottle of potion. Harry knew the routine. He changed, climbed into bed, and then took a few gulps before the world faded into blackness.  
  
"Gretchen," Harry called as he entered a new, white world. The girl sitting in the middle of the...place...turned around suddenly and looked at him.   
"Harry?" she quested. "How did you find me?"  
"I dunno. I'm supposed to be in a dreamless sleep. That's what the potion said." Gretchen shock her head.  
"This isn't a dream," she said quietly. "I think I'm going to die, Harry. I'm going to die." Harry looked at her in disbelief. "It would make sense. I'm waiting between worlds before my body gives out." Harry shock his head.  
"No..no..I can't lose you and Neville. Not both of you. Gretchen please, promise me you'll try to stay alive."  
"I'm try," she said firmly. "I'll try...." There was darkness.  
  
The first thing he heard was of high healed boats lightly hitting the stone floor of the hospital wing. It was almost as if he was hearing drums, hitting continuously, but Harry knew that that couldn't be true. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes.  
Albus Dumbledore, or at least who he believed to be Albus Dumbledore he couldn't be sure without his glasses, was pacing back and forth around the room. Two female figures were sitting in chairs across the room: Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. Harry decided it best to acknollage the fact that he was awake. He tried to reach  
of his glasses, but couldn't. His right arm throbbed with pain were it had been burned. He sat up slightly and reached across with his right arm, successfully getting his glasses and placing them on the nose.   
The world came into a sharper view. Everyone looked very tired. Professor McGonagall was resting her head on Madam Pomfrey's shoulder as if trying to sleep. But her eyes, wide open and unwilling to close, to a different story. She saw Harry sit up, glanced at him for a moment, then sighed and went beck to her thoughts.  
Madam Pomfrey didn't even notice Harry. Her eyes were narrowed like a hawk watching something, but Harry wasn't sure what it was. Dumbledore's pacing ceased and he walked up to Harry's bed, stopping beside it. "You should sleep," he advised.  
Harry heard him, but paid his words no mind. He followed Madam Pomfrey's gaze and saw Gretchen on a bed near his. "Is she going to die?" he asked sheepishly.  
"Only time will tell, Harry. Only time will tell." Dumbledore too gazed at Gretchen for a moment then said, "I'm afraid we can't help her, Harry. No matter how much we would like to."  
"I made her promise me she wouldn't die," Harry muttered before he even knew what he was saying. "She said she'd try but then I woke up."  
"I thought that potion was for a dreamless sleep?"  
"She told me it wasn't a dream. She said she was dying and that she was in the world between worlds. It was all white. I made her promise that she'd try to stay alive, and she said she would. Then I woke up." Dumbledore nodded.  
"There is a connection between you and Gretchen. I'm a fool for not noticing it before," he said quietly. Harry noted briefly that Professor McGonagall was listening to him before the professor began to speak once more. "It makes sense now though."  
"What is it?" Harry asked. Dumbledore gave him a piercing look, a look he'd given Harry on many other occasions, and then took a deep breath.  
"When Voldemort came and killed your parents, he was truly there to kill you. True, getting James out of the way would make things easier for him....and he never worried about Lily, so she could have lived. The point is it wouldn't have mattered to him if James and Lily survived or not. He simply wanted to kill you. I know you hate to hear this but I still believe that it is unwise to tell you why. So what I can tell you will seem a bit odd. You see, you were and danger to Voldemort. He knew you had the power to stop him. You and one other, but we didn't know who. We assumed it was one of the young children he had killed months before he tried to kill you, but we were wrong. The reason he didn't kill another child was because she was in his grasp all along."  
"You mean..."  
"Yes, Harry. Gretchen is that other child." Harry began to ask something. "Yes, that is why you were able to hear her thoughts, and she could hear yours. That is why you two where able to elude the magic Voldemort put in his cage." Harry though for a moment.  
"So what will happen if she dies?" Harry asked.  
"I do not know, Harry, but I'd like to think that won't happen. After all, a witches are known to be rather fond of keeping their word. Nevertheless, Prfessor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and I had a talk earlier. Madma Pomfrey is going to brew a potion containin a few bits of a Hebetious leaf. If it's a good one it will not heal her completely,  
but she will wake. If it is a bad one it will not kill her....but it will not do anything good."  
"When?" Harry asked.  
"In three days time," he said.  
"But that's the day we leave," Harry said. Dumbledore nodded.  
"I'll send an owl to you. We would do it now, but Madam Pomfrey has to invent a potion and then brew it, mind you," Dumbledore said. "Neville's grandmother is arriveing tomorrow. I'm going to ask Ron and Hermione if they could speak with her. Neville's service will be held in the Great Hall the day after." Harry tried to surpress tears that were welling up in his eyes at the mention of Neville's name. He felt sick to his stomach, but din't want to cry. "It's alright to grieve, Harry. Just try to understand that in the turmoil and horror of Neville's untimely death, he had moved onto a better place." Harry nodded.   
"Perhaps, no it is time to sleep?" Harry took off his glaces. He didn't need a potion to help him, because he suddenly realized that he was exhausted.  
  
The next few days passed by quickly. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Lavender, and the rest of the Gryffindor's in Neville's year gave small speaches about him. His grandmother cried like there was no tomorrow. After hearing the story of what happened Harry believed she thought Gretchen to be as evil as the dark lord...then agien, she didn't know the whole story. Harry hadn't spoken to her at all.  
In fact, Harry hardly spoke to anyone. It wasn't until after to funeral when he was sitting alone in the trophy room did he have his first real conversation. Ron walked in. "I need a word with you, Harry," he said quietly. "About what happened in the forest."  
"What about it?" Harry asked. He noiticed Hermione standing behind Ron, looking as if she was pretending not to be there.  
"You hit me," he said. "You hit me square in the nose. Why, Harry? I didn't do anything to you!"  
"No, Ron you didn't and that was the problem," Harry stated. "When Voldemort killed Neville you ran. You didn't stay to help me. I was so mad at you for running, for leaving me and Gretchen with the deatheaters...with Voldemort. And then you started to insult Gretchen, just when I had found out that I would have been dead by christmas if she hadn't done what she'd done. And I was mad. And it just happened." Harry paused, waiting for Ron to say something, but no words were spoken. "You know something though," Harry said at last, "I didn't mean it. We're all alive. That's all that matters."   


* * *  


The results of the O.W.L.s came later that day. Hermione scored top in the class, making her a potential perfect. Harry and Ron scored high marks, too, which also put them in the running. Harry doubted any fo them would be choosen. If it was just based on grades perhaps they would. But it was no secret that the three had a habbit of braking rules.  
They were also alloud to se Gretchen's Marks. He scoares were nearly identical to Harry, though she got a higher grade in transfigueration and a lower mark in herbology. The totals were equal.  
  
"This year bravery was shown in it's truest form. Courage and trust beyond anything I ever expect out of a student. At Christmas this year none other the Lord Voldemort himself was wandering in the Forbidden Forest, waiting for a chance to kill Harry Potter, but as you can see that did not happen," Dumbledore said at the finial feast. The room glittered with Bronze and Blue banners. Ravenclaw had won the house cup.  
Harry refused to have any points added beause of what happened in the forest. Ron and Hermione agreed with him. Dumbledore added 100 points for what Gretchen did at Christmas, but that wasn't nearly enough to make up for what they'd lost without Quiddich.  
"Now, I shall tell you why. It is because Gryffindor student Gretchen Locus risked it all. Because of a blood bind her mother placed upon her she knew Voldemort was coming. For you see, though she told you she was from Italy, Gretchen was not. Her parents did not transfer to Britain. You see, Gretchen's mother was a deatheater, caught when Gretchen was four years old. She has been living in a center that rehabilates kids who  
were exposed to the dark arts at young ages. She knew of her mother's deeds, and Voldemort's and she wouldn't stand for it. She found a deatheater, Herriet Elestor, and offeared herslef as bait to get Harry away from Hogwarts where Voldemort could kill him out of my presensce.  
"I know you now thing that is evil. But she warned him before she left three days ago. Told him in a letter not to follow her. But none of us wanted Gretchen to be killed by Voldemort, so Gretchen's four clostest friends preformed an ancient rituel to find her, only to be trapped by Voldemort. Three came back.   
"Neville Longbottem was murdered by the dark lord. He was unfortenent enough to stumble in the wrong dirrection, and he suffered dearly. He died and untimely, pointless, and completely aviodible death. If you ever wander into Voldemort's path, quickly hurry the other way. Even I doubt I could kill him. That is all there is to be said." Dumbledore sat  
down. The students ate their feast and borded the Hogwarts express. Harry couldn't help staring at the seat Gretchen had once sat in. No one spoke. Not even Malfioy dared to bother him.  
Uncle Vermon was waiting for him, looking as nasty and purple faced as ever. "Let's go boy," he said. "What happened to your arm." The man sounded pleased. "Hurry." Harry carried his trunk to the car and slipped inside. Uncle Vermon started driving. He was complaining to Aunt Petunia, who was sitting in front eith him. Dudley sat with Harry, but Harry barely noiticed him. He barely noiticed any of them. He eyes were glued to the sky, waiting for an owl to appear in the sky, an owl  
who would tell him the one thing he want to know most-Is she to live or is she to die?  
  
A/N 2: Opps....did I forget to have a resolution to my story? I suppose I'll have to write more. By the way, I forgot to say above that the clue in part 6 was all the metaphors using fire followed by a chapter that's called fire. Anyway, the next part of this story will be called "Harry Potter and the Year of Darkness" Yes, it sounds depressing. I know. Look for it soon


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